Baseballism is a great shop for fans near Fenway for fun gear! Enter to win a t-shirt now!

If you're reading this blog, then you can quickly tell things I'm interested in... Family, Sports, Tech, New England and Art (not in that particular order, of course!) and from time to time I find out about some really fun places to check out when you're in Boston. One of them is a great baseball store named Baseballism, right on Landsdowne Street in the shadow of the Green Monster! If you mention my blog, Parental Ideas, you'll get 10% off your entire order!

As a brand, Baseballism started in 2012 after a successful Kickstarter campaign to sell t-shirts based on a design that the founders created for a youth summer baseball camp they created back in 2006. They came together because they "had a passion to teach the game the right way." From the moment I stepped into the store it reminded me of coaching my daughter for softball and learning from my fellow coaches about how to teach the game. I'm on the board of our local youth Softball and Baseball association and immediately was drawn to everything I was seeing on each shirt.

The Baseballism Cap Giveaway
before every home game at Fenway!

As a softball coach, I felt right at home, and as a dad, I just fell in love with all of the fun puns!

They opened last summer, right during the historic 2018 season. I recently went in to pick up some gear, and had a hard time not buying everything in the store I just love all of fun designs they have. What's really nice is that the clothes are so comfortable. The staff lets you browse the store at your own pace and can help with any questions you may have.

If you are walking down Landsdowne Street roughly 25 minutes before the start of a home game, you may see Katy, the store manager, standing on top of the store speaking into a megaphone and tossing some limited-edition baseball caps that you can only get from the "cap toss" - the hats aren't available for purchase!

Here are some of my favorite t-shirt designs that you will most likely see me wearing. The folks at Baseballism are so great, they are offering a 10% discount if you mention my blog, Parental Ideas, when you're in the store and they also offered to have me host a giveaway and all you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter here:

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With every purchase they give you
a great reusable drawstring bag!

NOTE: I was provided with some neat Baseballism swag to facilitate this review. Baseballism will also be providing the t-shirt to the winner of the giveaway. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own!

Baseball promotions in August at Friendly Fenway and a flash giveaway for a Jerry Garcia Red Sox Shirt

Picnic in the Park benefitting
the Red Sox Foundation. Photo from RedSox.com

The Red Sox keep the fun promotions and activities heating up during August with giveaways and special theme nights! We are excited to offer a quick giveaway for a limited-edition Jerry Garcia Red Sox shirt, keep on reading for details on how to enter. A few dates to note:

8/1: Margaritaville Night
This special night will include a pre-game concert on Jersey St. by The Island Castaways Band and a limited-edition Margaritaville Red Sox towel.

8/3: Picnic in the Park benefitting the Red Sox Foundation
Picnic in the Park, benefitting Red Sox Foundation, allows families to watch the Red Sox/Yankees gamefrom Fenway Park's outfield. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment, BBQ dinner and can meet Red Sox alumni.

8/6: Brock Holt ALDS Hitting for the Cycle Bobblehead
Brock Holt ALDS Hitting for the Cycle Bobblehead Presented by New Balance for the first 7,500 fans in attendance!
8/6: Jerry Day
This special night celebrates iconic rock legend Jerry Garcia with a pre-game concert on Jersey Street by Terrapin and a limited-edition Jerry Garcia Red Sox shirt using this special link to buy tickets. A portion of proceeds benefit the Red Foundation.

8/13: Movie Night at Fenway - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The Red Sox will feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on the centerfield videoboard

Wally's Math Academy
“Wally’s Math Academy” replaces generic word problems with actual game data and is free to educators with the goal of enriching and empowering young students.

Student 9's Ticket Offer for High School, College and Graduate Students
Student 9's offers high school, college and graduate students the opportunity to purchase $9 Red Sox tickets and to receive special offers for student promotions and events.

Here's the details on the quick giveaway for a limited-edition Jerry Garcia Red Sox shirt. Enter using the rafflecopter below:


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NOTE: We are proud to be part of #RedSoxParents and are providing you with this great information. No compensation was provided and all opinions are our own.

What a season... Let's continue cheering on the Sox in the WORLD SERIES!

I have been so happy to be involved with the Boston Red Sox and help promote their family friendly activities through their Red Sox Parents program once again. You've had the chance to hear about all of the fun things they have for kids to do with adults and new ways to engage the next generation of baseball fans! We absolutely love checking out Wally's Clubhouse, eating all of the great food at Fenway and enjoying all of the different ways they spread the baseball love around Boston and New England.

It's been so exciting to watch the team win 108 games during the regular season to capture the American League East, advance in the Divisional Series, and now the Championship Series to now play in the World Series!

I've also recently partnered with Fanatics so you can buy the official American League Champions Locker Room gear here. Please note, I include affiliate links within this post to support the work I do on this site.

Let's cheer on the Sox as they play in the WORLD SERIES!

NOTE: We are proud members of the Red Sox Parents program where we share family friendly activities of the Red Sox. We're just happy they're in the Postseason this year! No compensation was provided and all opinions, as always, are our own. I also have included affiliate links within this post to support the work I do on this site.

PawSox Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, FanFest, a great season and an upcoming Craft Beer and Food Truck fest

We had the chance to attend the PawSox Hall of Fame induction ceremony in July. They were honoring one of my all-time favorite players, Mo Vaughn as well as Coach “Walpole Joe” Morgan. The beautiful Sunday morning started with a VIP barbecue located in the "Shady Pines" area of the ballpark. We were treated to some great ballpark staples like hotdogs and hamburgers, as well as one of my favorite things at a PawSox barbecue: the pulled chicken. I don't know how they do it but it is so tender and tasty without having too much sauce.

We met and took pictures with Mo and Coach Morgan as well as had the chance to have them sign some baseballs we brought with us. This was such a great opportunity to take the family to and I STRONGLY recommend it as a nice present for any baseball-loving dad/husband in your life.

After the barbecue, we went to our seats which were any general admission seat in the house (any blue seat or anything in the outfield/berm). It was a warm day and the kids were a little anxious to move around so we were really happy that the annual Fan Fest festival of all of many team sponsors was the same day! It took place in the huge field next door and fans had the chance to get samples and try different foods from various vendors. My favorites were Dunkin Donuts (of course!), AAA and Hasbro, which had the Pie-face type games with a twist, one with a Toilet Splasher called Toilet Trouble, and another one that was like a personal dunk tank in a hat called the Dunk Hat game.

The season went on through August and the beginning of September with the last home game at the end of August where the PawSox inducted the final member of the 2017 Hall of Fame class, Carlton Fisk.

Stay tuned as the PawSox are hosting their first ever Food Truck and Craft Beer festival on Saturday September 16 from 6-10 pm at McCoy Stadium. For more information and to order tickets visit pawsox.com. Guys, this would be a great thing to take the boys to or the family to as well!

Check out the video in slow-motion... Always fun:

NOTE: I was provided with tickets to the BBQ and Hall of Fame game as well as tickets for the food truck fest in order to facilitate this article. All opinions, as always, are my own.

Father's Day BBQ, Catch with Dad at Pawsox and SoxShowcase Recap #hosted

Playing catch on the field!

This Father's Day we went to McCoy Stadium, home of the Pawtucket Red Sox for a barbecue, catch with Dad on the field and then to watch the afternoon game. We were treated to a double-header of baseball thanks to some rain the night before. That pushed up the start of the first game and made each of the games 7 innings (a special thing in Minor League Baseball).

We got to the stadium at 11 am and found it easy to park on the grounds. Parking is free and we recommend getting there early if you want a good spot!

The barbecue started early at 11:30 and we walked in and decided to go right to play catch on the field as that special option only went from 11:30-12 noon. I was lucky enough to take the whole family so my daughter had a chance to play catch with me, my dad and my father in law as well as other family members. It was something that we'll remember for a long time for sure! My mom even brought our 10 month old son on the field in a stroller so he could watch his big sister.

After playing catch, we went to the White BBQ Tent which was in foul ball territory. Since they had to start the games early at 12:30 to get both games in, we were eating the delicious BBQ food (hot dogs, hamburgers, pulled chicken - my fav!, drinks, dessert, etc.) while the game as going on. We were surprised, shocked and then relieved, when we were about to go back to our room, when all of a sudden, we hear "LOOK OUT" and then a thud, and when I looked down I noticed a dent in our son's stroller inches from his feet. Thankfully the foul ball didn't hit him, and the PawSox staff even helped retrieve the foul ball which will be a keepsake for sure!

Our daughter participated in one of the mid-inning breaks where she ran on the field and helped to brush off the bases, while dressed as one of the mascot's (polar bears) kids (or cubs)...

We then went up to our seats and watched the game from the stands. In between the two games we even participated in the Sox Showcase which was touring from Fenway which had batting cages, pitching, jenga, and a replica miniature green monster from Fenway. We had an absolute blast!

NOTE: We were provided with tickets for the BBQ, Catch with Dad and the baseball game. No other compensation was provided and as always, all opinions are our own.

Red Sox Jedi Mookie Star Wars Bobblehead Night and Flash giveaway - ends 5/4 at 12am

The Boston Red Sox are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Episode IV: A New Hope this year with a Star Wars Night on May 4th. May the Fourth be with you, Red Sox fans!

You can still get a special ticket at http://www.redsox.com/starwars which will get you a ticket for the game as well as an awesome Jedi Mookie bobblehead which includes his very own lightsaber bat!

All fans in attendance will have the chance to see Star Wars characters walking around Fenway Park as part of the fun

In honor of the Star Wars themed night, I am giving away one Jedi Mookie bobblehead to one of my blog readers! Hurry up, though, this giveaway ends at 12:00 am on 5/4/17.


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NOTE: I'm providing this information and giveaway as I'm a proud member of #RedSoxParents 

New things at Fenway for 2017!

I'm excited to be able to tell you all about the new things when you come to Fenway Park to catch a Sox game this year! You will notice new concession offerings, a new Pesky Pole, Virtual Reality Batting Cage, a Right Field Terrace Video Board (where Cumby's sign used to be), a larger dugout and more items!

I had a chance to try the new VR Batting Cage and it's pretty amazing what they have been able to do with this technology.

Virtual Reality Batting Cage

The club will expand the virtual reality station in the Kids Concourse by introducing a VR batting cage experience where fans can feel what it’s like to take swings against Major League players at Fenway Park. The club first introduced VR during the 2016 season with the Virtual Dugout station that shows behind-the-scenes, 360 videos with players. The VR Dugout will return in 2017 with new content. 

Concessions
Aramark, Fenway Park’s concessionaire, will introduce new and locally inspired items to the Fenway Park concession menu in 2017. Regina Pizzeria is now the official pizzeria of the Boston Red Sox and will be serving their renowned pizza at the ballpark, and Strega’s new creation, a baseball-inspired meatball-in-a-bread-cone will be available at pizza stands throughout the concourses.

Yankee Lobster, the popular seafood restaurant in the Seaport neighborhood of Boston, will showcase their signature New England lobster rolls and other new lobster-themed offerings at the Fish Shack on Yawkey Way, and at seasonal locations throughout the ballpark. Fans can also try new signature items on Yawkey Way from Savenor’s Market, Fenway Park’s official butcher and meat supplier. The Cambridge-based company will offer a short-rib grilled cheese sandwich and will also feature turkey and steak tip sandwiches at other Savenor’s locations throughout the ballpark.

Fenway Park’s Big Concourse will feature several new items this season. The area now includes a new build-your-own-salad and fruit bar in the lower level featuring select produce from Fenway Farms, and new kids meals will be served in the Kids Concourse area in Wally and Tessie commemorative brown lunch bags. The kids meals offer a choice of a mini kids hot dog, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a grilled cheese, and are served with Lay’s chips and a mini Poland Spring water.

Aramark will continue its test kitchen concept by introducing monthly rotating items at a stand in the Big Concourse located across from the Champions Club. Featured items for the month of April include lobster melts with steamed lobster, melted Muenster cheese, and sliced tomatoes; or surf & turf kebabs with skewered shrimp and/or marinated steak tips.

Fans with a sweet tooth will have more dessert options to choose from in 2017. In addition to the popular Hood soft serve ice cream locations throughout the ballpark, the newly added “Cookies n’ Creamery” stands will be located at gates A and C offering ice cream sundaes, creamsicles, ice cream sandwiches, hard ice cream, and freshly baked warm cookies.

The popular Tasty Burger restaurant added a third location at Fenway Park in the Right Field Concourse to complement existing stands at the 3rd Base Deck and at Gate C. And to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Impossible Dream team, Aramark will feature five different souvenir cups throughout the season celebrating memorable moments from that special year for fans to collect throughout 2017.

A refurbished Pesky Pole

The Right Field Foul Pole, “Pesky Pole,” underwent extensive structural repairs this offseason to reinforce areas that were impacted by general wear and tear over the years.   

Right Field Terrace Video Board

A new video board in right field, installed by ANC, has replaced the Cumberland Farms sign that previously occupied that space. The new 16mm Mitsubishi Diamond Vision LED display measures 14’ high by 46’ wide and will provide improved access to game information, replays, and video content, particularly for those seated on the Green Monster and in Bleacher sections where viewing the main video board is challenging.   

NOTE: As a Red Sox Parent, I was invited to a game at the beginning of the season to see all of the new improvements to Fenway Park and learn about the new initiatives for kids and families! All opinions are my own.

#SoxWinterWeekend at Foxwoods with the Red Sox recap

This past weekend, we had the pleasure to join the Boston Red Sox at Foxwoods for their #SoxWinterWeekend. We had an amazing time! There were so many "great moments" it's hard to nail it down to just a few but here's some highlights...

We first checked in at the Grand Pequot hotel to pick up our passes. When we registered for the weekend we got a welcome email about a week before telling us what to expect but also asking us to preregister for autograph and photo sessions and whether or not we wanted to take part in the Kids Clinic or add on a breakfast with Wally to our package.

The preregistration was a great idea because it allowed us to select autograph times that were convenient to us. While there were 4 rooms per hour, and we didn't know which player/coach would be in which room, so we chose at random.

While there were quite a lot of lines for the autograph sessions or player panels, everything seemed to run smoothly and the team was really smart to have some entertainment provided for fans while they waited in line.

We also liked that you could use the MLB Ballpark app to get the schedule for the weekend at any time on your mobile device. The panels were amazing: we were able to relive the '07 world series championship as they brought head coach John Farrell, Tim Wakefield, and Jason Varitek to tell some inside stories from the season and answer fans' questions. The other sessions were Call to the Hall which had Sox who were in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, a game show which had players play against coaches and even a press conference from the kids in attendance - those questions were the best and a few were absolutely hilarious!

The fan fest in the Premier ballroom in Fox Tower had something for everyone and was open even after the sessions all ended so you could still experience it if you were in panels and getting autographs all day. They literally brought the Fenway experience from Boston to Foxwoods: banners, David Ortiz' lego statue which is normally out in the kids' concourse, Mickey Mouse adorned in Red Sox logos and colors that usually is on the 3rd base deck, and silver bats and gold gloves. They had batting cages, wiffle bats for the little ones, a mini baseball field that kids could field balls, the Sox Showcase with Red Sox Virtual Reality, steal-a-base contest, NESN Clubhouse auditions and even the Team Store!

NOTE: We were provided with passes to attend Winter Weekend at Foxwoods from the Boston Red Sox. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are our own.

Red #SoxWinterWeekend is back January 20-22, 2017 at Foxwoods

Photo © Boston Red Sox. Used with permission.

The 3rd Annual Red Sox Winter Weekend will take place at Foxwoods Resort Casino on January 20-22. Similar to last year, the Red Sox will host a Town Hall Meeting, autographs and photos with players, plus a baseball festival with a Red Sox pitching booth, play wiffle ball on the indoor field, and Red Sox VR.

Weekend passes, which include the option for hotel accommodations, are on sale now on redsox.com/winterweekend. Passes provide access for all three days and are $60 per adult and $20 for children 14 and under. Children under three are free. Season Ticket Holders’ prices (for adults) are reduced by $10. Their children’s price is $15.

Photo © Boston Red Sox. Used with permission.

The entire Red Sox roster, including coaches, has been invited to attend Winter Weekend. Red Sox alumni will also be in attendance along with Wally the Green Monster and his sister Tessie.

The weekend will begin Friday night with the introduction of the participating players, followed by a fan-interactive Town Hall Meeting with Red Sox owners and leaders. The event will be televised by NESN on Sunday, January 22, at 8 p.m.

Throughout the day on Saturday, fans will have an opportunity to get autographs and take photos with players, see the three World Series Trophies and Red Sox artifacts such as Silver Bats, Gold Gloves, MVPs, and Cy Young Awards.

Photo © Boston Red Sox. Used with permission.

Fans can test their fastball at the Red Sox pitching booth, play wiffle ball on the indoor field, meet Wally and Tessie, and attend hour-long panel discussions throughout the day on a variety of topics.

Starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, fans can watch the live NESN broadcast from Baseball Winter Weekend throughout the day, which will include interviews with Red Sox players and leadership. NESN will also be hosting auditions for NESN Clubhouse and will be offering a VR experience at this year’s event.

Photo © Boston Red Sox. Used with permission.

Winter Weekend concludes Sunday with a Wally and Tessie-themed breakfast for children and families, and a series of baseball clinics for kids conducted by Red Sox coaches and alumni. Tickets for Wally and Tessie’s breakfast, which will also include their mascot friends, are available at redsox.com/winterweekend.

You should check redsox.com/winterweekend periodically for updates on participants and activities.

NOTE: I am providing this information since I think it would be of interest to my readers. No compensation was provided

Today is Red Sox Kid Nation day at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston!

Saturday, August 6: Kid Nation Day at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston

On Saturday, August 6 from 11 am to 3 pm, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Boston will host the Red Sox Showcase, powered by T-Mobile, at Assembly Row!. The Red Sox themed truck includes a batting cage, pitching stations, a steal 2nd challenge, and a virtual reality experience.  LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston’s Master Model Builder, Megan Quigley, will be conducting a live Red Sox themed build and visitors will have the opportunity to take photos with a World Series trophy replica made entirely out of LEGO® bricks! In addition, there will be brick pits, LEGO® build stations for fans to show off their Red Sox pride and visits from LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston costume characters Bertie and Kai from Ninjago.

Admission to the Red Sox Showcase is free, however, admission to the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston (along with the Red Sox trophy replicas and themed LEGO builds) is not.

Wednesday, August 31: LEGO Day at Fenway

The Red Sox and LEGO Systems, Inc. are proud to announce the first LEGO® Day at Fenway Park, Wednesday, August 31 at 1:35 pm when the Red Sox face the Tampa Bay Rays. The purchase of a game ticket through this special offer also includes a limited edition Red Sox themed player build, made with LEGO bricks. Additionally, this ticket package will include access to the pre-game LEGO Build Experience in the Kids Concourse from 11:00am-1:35pm. There will even be a LEGO Master Builder on hand! During the LEGO Build Experience, a life-sized Red Sox player LEGO model will be unveiled for fans to see and take pictures with. Be there for this special moment as tickets are limited to the first 2,000 guests who order through this special offer.

Upcoming July Red Sox Promotions and Giveaways

Hey guys! The Red Sox have a lot of great promotions and giveaways coming up this month! As a Red Sox Dad (and a member of the Red Sox Parents crew), I got a few of the items to try out and they rock (pun intended)! Yep, I actually got a Pet Brock and it's modeled after the Pet Rocks and is pretty cool and unique! I also got a Stars and Stripes Cap as well which is pretty snazzy.

Here's just a few to note:

Tuesday, July 5
Red Sox Mobile Showcase at Faneuil Hall
Stars & Stripes Cap Promo Item

Sunday, July 10
Wally and Tessie Bobbhead Promo Item

Saturday, July 16
Red Sox Mobile Showcase in Laconia, NH

Tuesday, July 19
Red Sox Catholic Night
Pet Brock Promo Item

Saturday, July 23
Red Sox Mobile Showcase in Chatham, MA

Monday, July 25
Red Sox Law Enforcement Night (FLEOA)
American Girl Night

Tuesday, July 26
Build-A-Papi Promo Item

Thursday, July 28
Red Sox Mobile Showcase at Faneuil Hall

Saturday, July 30
Red Sox Mobile Showcase at Boston’s Children’s Museum

Sunday, July 31
Red Sox Mobile Showcase in Pawtucket, RI at the PawSox Fan Fest

Kids had the chance to take batting practice at the Red Sox Mobile Showcase

I got to take a photo with the World Series Trophies!

I even had the chance to talk with Red Sox President Sam Kennedy.

NOTE: I was provided with some of the Red Sox Promo items to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

Red Sox game recap and Bobble head doll giveaway

OK Red Sox fans, I’ve got some exciting news for you! The Red Sox have absolutely gone to town with promotions and giveaways this year and have some pretty amazing giveaways coming up! We were lucky enough to attend Wally’s Birthday a week ago and got a cool Red Sox tote bag, but more on that later!

So, as you may have heard, this year is the last season for Red Sox slugger, David Ortiz (a.k.a. Big Papi), one of our favorite players on the team! In honor of his great accomplishments, the team has a slew of Papi-related giveaways coming up (Build-a-Papi on July 26, Papi Gnome on June 21, etc.) but the one that we’re excited for is the Papi Canvas art that will be given away to the first 15,000 fans in attendance on Tuesday May 24th. As a Red Sox Parent, they sent me one to hang on the wall.

I also received a David Price Bobblehead doll to give away to one of our lucky readers! So… you know what to do, fill out the rafflecopter at the bottom of this post!

Now… for the recap of our amazing trip to fenway for Wally’s birthday!

The game started at 1:35 on a Sunday afternoon, but we were lucky enough to get into the VIP birthday party with Wally and his friends which started at 11:35. We lined up outside of gate C at Fenway for the special party and once inside, we received the day’s giveaway (a Red Sox tote) and went to the party inside of the Champions Club. Last year, the Red Sox created Wally’s Clubhouse which took place inside of the Champions Club at Fenway from innings 3-7 during most games in the summer. This was a great idea to keep the kids out of the hot summer sun and give them an air-conditioned place to relax. We’re happy to say that it looks like this is being continued for this year as well!

When we entered the party we each got our Wally gnome and proceeded to a balloon-filled party room complete with food, snacks, games and more! We took in the sights and sounds of the party and then took a little break to go see the Sox and Astros take batting practice on the field.

After we had our fill of food, it was time for the main event. We all gathered near the front of the room and then Wally came into the room with all of his mascot family and friends from other teams. We all sang happy birthday to Wally and then posed to take pictures with him, his family (Walter, his dad, Wanda, his mom and his little sister, Tessie) and friends.

We took our picture with Wally, ate some more food then went to our seats in Right Field to watch the pre-game festivities and the game!

In the fourth inning the Red Sox invited us to visit Wally’s Clubhouse again and this time we got to eat some of his birthday cake. It was so delicious and honestly, how often do you get to go to a baseball game and eat birthday cake! That was a great addition!

After a gorgeous afternoon of springtime baseball, we hopped in our car and went home. We can’t wait to do it all again!

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NOTE: We were provided with tickets to the game and the canvas print and bobble head doll for review and bobble head for giveaway courtesy of the Red Sox as Dave is a Red Sox Dad. There was no promise made of a positive review, but we had a really great time anyways! All opinions are our own.