Outdoor hockey at Fenway Park has been one of the truly unique sporting events hosted in the city. Fans have delighted in not only watching the Bruins and 2010, but also numerous college and high school games. For Red Sox management the Frozen Fenway phenomenon has been a hugely profitable enterprise. Nevertheless, it still came as somewhat shocking news when the Red Sox announced yesterday that they plan to hold Frozen Fenway III...in July.
"There are three days in July, during All-Star break, when the park goes largely unused," Tom Werner explained to the assembled press. "We want to fill those three days with glorious hockey, the sport of the great outdoors!"
The natural questions that followed centered around how on earth an outdoor rink could be maintained in the searing July heat. Werner awkwardly claimed that they didn't anticipate any problems, and would consider using massive air conditioners suspended over the rink. When reporters laughed at that idea, Larry Lucchino stepped in to relieve a flustered Werner.
"The question of maintaining the ice isn't really an issue the Boston Red Sox need to focus on," Lucchino explained. "What we need to focus on is getting the check from organizations that want to rent the ice. And I'm not talking about a hockey check. I'm talking about a check made out to cash. An non-refundable check paid in advance. Are we understanding each other here folks?"
