The Left Field Scoreboard: History

The left-field (“Monster”) manually operated scoreboard is a Fenway icon, practically as significant as the wall itself.  It is a visual focus throughout the game, and an integral part of the fan experience for 90 percent of the fans.

Tom Yawkey embarked on a renovation streak after he bought the Red Sox in 1933.  Before the 1934 season, the wall in left field was built to contain the game within the park and block the view from outside, and it was built with a scoreboard somewhat similar to what we see today.  It showed 10-inning line scores for four American League games (including the Red Sox game), and pitcher, inning number and run totals for four National League games.  Since there were only 16 teams in the Majors, that sufficed. And the board also showed balls, strikes, and outs with colored lights, H (hit) and E (error) lights, and a dot-matrix light display for the batter’s number.  These indicator lights were similar to today’s but in a different location (between pairs of American League games).

The 1934 scoreboard on July 2, 1958. Note AL scores have no run totals!  The Senators went on to beat the Sox 5-3 that day. Ted Williams drove in all three Boston runs.  Starting pitcher Tom Brewer was charged with the loss.

This scoreboard had 116 slots for numbers.  In the narrow room behind the scoreboard, there were originally 288 double-sided metal plates with numbers and letters (the only letters were R, A, I, and N to indicate rain delays or postponements; later, the letters N, I, T, and E were used to indicate night games).  The highest displayable number of runs per inning was 13, and the highest pitcher's uniform number was 33.  Plus there were 16 plates for team names, including BOST., PHILA., N. YORK, CHI'GO, ST. LOU, WASH, CLEVE, DET'RT, BROOK, PITTS, and CINN. The abbreviations changed over the years (in photo above, note CHICAGO, DETROIT, and NEW YORK are spelled out).

Remote control of lights, including the batter’s number, was a high-tech innovation at that time.  Wires ran from there to switches in the Press Box area.  In the 1960s into the 1970s, the control box for the lights was a box about 5” x 14” and 2” thick with simple small toggle switches.  The At Bat number was selected with two rotary switches.  These were often operated by the PA announcer Sherm Feller during those years.  The system was strictly electrical, not electronic.

Due to expansion from eight to ten American League teams in 1961, the scoreboard was modified before the 1961 season.  The format changed to much like today’s. Under a wide AMERICAN LEAGUE heading, the Sox game was given a full line score with 10 innings plus P (pitcher number), and R, H, and E totals. Under that is the AT BAT, BALL, STRIKE, OUT, H, and E. To the right of all that were spaces for 5 more American League short line scores (P, IN, and R only) and an announcement area for upcoming games.  This area was soon changed to show the numbers of the game’s umpires.  The furthest right-hand part of the scoreboard under a NATIONAL LEAGUE heading had space for six National League games.  This scoreboard had 83 slots for numbers, and 87 after the umpire numbers were shown.

The 1961 scoreboard, May 20, 1961.  The Sox went on to beat the Tigers 4-3 in 10 innings, thanks to a walk-off Jackie Jensen single driving in pinch runner Tom Brewer, who was mentioned in the caption of the first photograph!

The next change came the following year when a lineup board was installed to the right of the scoreboard.  This unit used a dot-matrix light bulb display, controlled by a bank of rotary switches inside the scoreboard.  The control unit is still in place there.

The lineup board, June 15, 1969.  The A's beat the Sox 13-5 that day.  Also note style of team name abbreviations.

72 rotary switches controlled the lineup board.

After the American League pennant winning season of 1975, the decision was made to invest in the first electronic scoreboard above the centerfield bleachers.  This display, using 8640 40-watt bulbs, was very versatile, so it was thought that the National League scores and the lineups could go there.  As a result, the unfortunate decision was made to remove the National League scores and the lineups from the left field wall, leaving only the American League scores.  This scoreboard had only 58 slots for numbers.

In 1977, the American League expanded to 14 teams, so to accommodate 7 simultaneous games the umpire numbers area was converted to another score area.

In 1997, interleague play began, meaning NL teams might appear on the AL scoreboard. To specify the New York and Chicago teams, NYY, NYM, CHC, and CWS were used, and the rest of the team names were changed to the standard two- or three-letter codes.

In 2003, the National League scores were restored to their former place in left. Because the National League had expanded to 16 teams by then, the scores had three columns of three games each rather than two columns.  At each side, permanent advertising was added, and an American League East standings board was added.  These changes bring the scoreboard to its present state. 

There are now 103 slots for numbers.  Because the National League scores extend beyond the original room behind, they must be changed from the field; the others are changed from inside.  The red and green lights and the At Bat number are operated from the control room behind the plate on Level 5.

Fenway Park, the purest baseball experience

Before 1942, all major league parks provided their fans with a pure baseball experience.  The entertainment WAS the baseball game.  There was no video entertainment.  There was no music, except that played by bands before some games.  There were usually modest amounts of advertising.  The only distractions were the yelling of vendors, things to eat and drink, and antics among the fans.

Changes began in 1942, when the first permanently installed organ began giving non-baseball entertainment to Dodgers fans at Ebbets Field.  Other teams installed organs soon after, and music became part of the baseball experience.  Most organists engaged in subtle forms of cheerleading through their musical selections.  But not at Fenway.

1960 brought the first spectacular scoreboard, Bill Veeck’s famous “exploding” scoreboard at Comiskey Park. Others followed including the Astrodome’s 50,000-light animation display. Scoreboards went beyond their function as information providers, becoming part of the entertainment.  But not at Fenway.

The Tom Yawkey years (1933-1976) were pure baseball years at Fenway.  Yawkey removed the left field wall advertising and otherwise purified the park. It was virtually a 100% baseball experience.  Yes, there was organ music, but with John Kiley at the keyboard there was no cheerleading.  Kiley refused to play bugle calls, rhythmic phrases, or anything else between pitches or between batters.

In recent decades, changes within our society have been inevitable, causing changes at all ballparks that have been driven by financial requirements.  Advertising and television coverage have changed the appearance of stadiums and the game’s timing. In efforts to keep up with society’s ever more fast pace and to attract more fans, ballparks were given more and more gimmicks such as disc jockeys in place of organists, mascots, mascot races, “kiss cams”, sound effects played between pitches, garish video effects, contests, and all kinds of promotions.  Electronic technology has allowed ever larger video displays in sharper resolution.  Now, most fans are inundated with sights and sounds during every moment when the ball isn’t in play. But not, not as much, at Fenway.

Though today Fenway is festooned with advertising in every direction, has giant video boards, and is blasted with loud music between innings, it can be argued that Fenway has the purest form of baseball among major league parks. Regardless of the fact that Fenway is the oldest major league park today and is the only one that offers wooden grandstand seats, the experience is pure in two important ways.  First, the fans are never explicitly told when to cheer as they are at every other park.  They are not told to clap or make noise at certain times, based on one employee’s judgment that those times warrant more cheering.  Giant video ribbons do not start to pulse and flash when there are two strikes on an opposing batter, to let fans know that the batter might possibly strike out on the next pitch.  Boston fans know better.  They know when to cheer!

Second, there are no sound effects added within a player’s at-bat, between pitches.  Between the catcher throwing the ball back and the pitcher peering down to read the next sign, do we really need to hear a snippet from the Banana Boat Song, electronic beats, or a bugle call?  No!  At least, during an at-bat, all Boston fans can concentrate on the game.