Just Because: Photo of the Green Monster in 1914
Here's an archived picture of Fenway Park's Green Monster in 1914, long before it was green.
By
Matt Snyder
•
1 min read
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One of the many unique features of Boston's Fenway Park is the left-field wall, known for several generations as the Green Monster. It was not, however, the Green Monster at its inception. In fact, it wasn't painted green until 1947.
Pictured above is a shot of the ad-covered wall in 1914, in the park's third season. Notice the fans sitting in front of it? Check this out, from RedSox.com's history section:
In left field, there was a steep 10-foot embankment that ran in front of the wall where fans were allowed to sit. The Sox' Duffy Lewis was so skilled at playing balls hit to the ledge that it became known as Duffy's Cliff.
Note in the picture that the foul pole is clearly back on the monster -- which was simply called "The Wall" at the time -- so those fans are all in play. There were ropes to hold them back from the field, and I'd have to assume there were people who dropped the ropes should the left fielder ever need to get back there and make a play on a ball. This was the case from 1912 to 1933.
Rather interesting fodder on this slow news day while we wait on the baseball games to begin Monday night.
