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Elephant Memorial at Fenway Park

Largest Crowd at Fenway Park

Long before crowdsourcing became a thing - In 1914, the children of Boston help raise enough money to place three Elephants at the Franklin Park Zoo.

There is a marker at Fenway Park to remember the occasion when the Elephants first met the children of Boston. It was the largest gathering at Fenway Park. (Due to current fire rules - this looks to stand forever.)

Elephant Prints2
Elephant Prints on the Ground in the Grandstand area

Things I Learned

  • Boston Post's publisher Edwin A. Grozier came up with the idea of having children collect money for the city to buy the elephants.
  • Only nickel and pennies were accepted in boxes that were put in stores all around the city.
  • The city raised: $6,000. ($151,948.45 in 2018) If they were all pennies it would be weigh 38 lbs.
  • 70,000 Children and Parents attended the event on June 6, 1914 - the gates were to open at 9am, but such a large crowd gathered that they opened it up early.
  • The elephants spent the night at the park before they came out on the field.
  • In 1914, the Average Baseball attendance at Fenway Park was 6,055!

History Fun Facts

  • Babe Ruth would joined the Red Sox a month later - July 11, 1914
  • Largest crowd for a Baseball game at Fenway Park was 49,000 on September 23, 1935.
  • Largest Concert crowd for a Paul McCartney concert was 36,064 on July 10, 2013.

Remembering the Elephants

  • Mollie died on April 22, 1921 of a heart attack- Harvard's Natural Museum has the skeleton. (Some media outlets called her Molly)
  • Tony died on January 19, 1939 of cancer
  • Waddy died November 5, 1940 - one of the longest elephants to live in captivity.

Sign at the Park

Elephant Pennnies

 

About

There are many interesting things and places around Boston, MA that you should know about. Here are a few that caught my attention. From historical sites such as the USS Constitution Museum, the Freedom Trail, and the iconic Fenway Park, to modern attractions like the New England Aquarium, the Boston Public Market, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, there is something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a fun family trip or a romantic getaway, Boston has it all.

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