Though the Celtics and Bruins have polished off their seasons and the Sox’s list of injured players seems endless, the Boston sports scene is still very much alive. We’ve got a can’t-miss list of upcoming games and matches as well as a where-to-watch guide to keep you die-hard sports fans happy!
Can’t Miss:
-Fore! With the British Open now in full-swing at St. Andrews Links in Fife, Scotland, Tiger is taking a backseat as the leaderboard shows some surprising first-round outcomes. Tune in now through July 18 to cheer on Massachusetts native Tim Petrovic. Between rounds, visit the Massachusetts Golf Museum (300 Arnold Palmer Blvd, Norton, MA 02766,
774-430-9100) for some local golf history and a chance to get out on the green.
-It’s Official! Celtics star Rajon Rondo has been named to play for Team USA in the World Championships on August 28 in Turkey. He’s heading west to Las Vegas for training on July 19.
-Tailgate! Get rowdy with Boston Cannons Men’s Lacrosse Team at Harvard Stadium on July 24, 7PM. Grab a copy of The Die-Hard Sports Fan’s Guide to Boston to find Christopher Klein’s Spectator Tips—how to score autographs, where to park, how to sit comfortably at this historic (concrete) stadium, etc.
-GOAL! Feeling nostalgic post-World Cup? For the first time since 1968, watch Fenway Park transform into a true soccer stadium. On July 21 the Celtic FC of the Scottish Premier League take on the Sporting Clube de Portugal, 8PM.
-Hey, batter batter! Heading out to the Cape? Catch a Cape Cod Baseball League game and check out the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame & Museum while you’re there (397 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601, 508-790-3077). Fun Fact: Brewster Whitecaps are #1 in the League!
Where to Watch:
While the Sox are away, want to know the best sports bars in town for die-hards? Here are our top picks from author Christopher Klein’s The Die-Hard Sports Fan’s Guide to Boston. Call ahead for early morning international games—best bars for those are also listed in the book.
-The Greatest Bar
262 Friend Street, Boston, MA 02114
617-367-0544
-Sports Depot
353 Cambridge Street, Allston, MA 02134
617-783-2300
-Coolidge Corner Clubhouse
307 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446
617-566-4948
-Stadium Sports Bar & Grill
232 Old Colony Avenue, South Boston, MA 02127
617-269-5100
-Champions
110 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02116
617-236-5800 x6936
Readers always tell us how much they love Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands--and one of the reasons why is that they really appreciate all the color photography included in the book. It makes a big difference, especially when you consider the fact that many of the islands are inaccessible to most travelers.
Part of the reason why we have so many wonderful photos is because author Chris Klein is a talented shutterbug. The public at large can see his island shots up close and personal at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse on Fan Pier in Boston, which will have Chris' photographs on display in the second floor atrium through September 30.
The Courthouse atrium, with its picturesque views of Boston Harbor, is the perfect venue for this exhibition highlighting the Boston Harbor Islands national park. Only a 15-minute ferry ride from Long Wharf, the Boston Harbor Islands are filled with recreational opportunities such as swimming, hiking, kayaking, fishing, and camping, and the islands’ colorful history abounds with tales of pirates, shipwrecks, Revolutionary War skirmishes, prisoners of war, hermits, and ghosts. The photographs in the exhibition highlight the islands’ natural beauty, wildlife, and recreational offerings along with some of their historical structures, such as lighthouses, cottages, cemeteries, and ruins of military forts and lavish estates.
Christopher Klein is the author of Union Park Press's Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands: A Guide to the City’s Hidden Shores, which provides a fascinating historical narratives as well as a contemporary portrait of each of the 34 islands and coastal peninsulas in the Boston Harbor Islands national park area.
The Moakley Courthouse is open to the public on weekdays between 8AM and 6PM. A picture ID is required to enter the Courthouse. If you like what you see, go to Chris's website. Custom orders and alternative sizes and framings of the images can be arranged.
Today is the beginning of the All-Star Break in Major League Baseball, and it comes not a moment too soon for the bruised and battered Red Sox, who have 11 players on the disabled list. So many Sox players are injured that it's getting hard to tell the difference these days between a Sox broadcast on NESN and an episode of Grey's Anatomy.
As an article on NESN.com points out, the rash of injuries that have befallen the parent club means that the Sox have relied on their farm system to provide replacement players. Daniel Nava, Dustin Richardson, 
Darnell McDonald, Gustavo Molina, and Felix Doubront are among the players who have been called up from Triple A Pawtucket to play for Boston.
It just goes to show that for short money you can watch a game at some of Boston's minor league affiliates and catch some of the future Sox stars on their journeys to the big leagues. The Sox have three minor league affiliates within an easy drive of Boston: the Triple A Pawtucket Red Sox, the Double A Portland Sea Dogs, and the Single A Lowell Spinners. All three teams provide a very family-friendly environment, and for the cost of one grandstand seat at Fenway, you can get tickets, food, and parking for a family of four. Pick up a program or a roster sheet because it's fun to look back in a few months or years and see which major leaguers you saw down on the farm.
Not only can you watch future Sox stars in the minors, but some of the team's current and former starters as well. The Sox will often send some of their stars to play a few games in the minors before getting them back on the field at Fenway. Yesterday was a great example. I went to last evening's Lowell Spinners game, and former Sox starting shortstop Jed Lowrie was on the Lowell roster. Also yesterday, Josh Beckett pitched four innings for Pawtucket as he does his rehab from injury.
Even if there aren't any Sox stars doing a rehab assignment, going to a minor league game is great fun, particularly for kids. The teams usually have a lot of entertainment before games and between innings. In Lowell, for example, there is a kids' area with a giant slide, bounce house, speed pitch game, and more. The team's alligator mascots are favorites with little kids. (I think they were my 2-year-old's favorite part of the game.) Last night, they also let kids run the bases after the game and had a themed night of take your dog to the ballpark. It was quite a dog day afternoon with the steamy weather until the rain came in during the seventh inning. The downpours were a bit of a disappointment, but not as much as the cancellation of the special entertainment: the Baha Men (one-hit wonders with "Who Let the Dogs Out?"), who were stuck in customs. Oh well. When I look back at last night's program in a few years, I'm sure we'll find out that we were watching some bigger stars anyway.
You don't have to be a big tennis or soccer fan to appreciate the special sports moments that occurred yesterday. Both events featured displays of heart, guts, and endurance that make us shake our heads in wonder and draw us in to what Wide World of Sports dubbed "the human drama of athletic competition."
In the World Cup, the U.S. team was on the brink of elimination in the final minutes of a scoreless tie against Algeria. It was do or die time. Score or go home. And Landon Donovan capped off a frenzied drive up the field to send the Americans to victory and into the next round. Even if you weren't a soccer fan, it was one of those goose bump moments that makes you a sports fan.
At about the same time as the ball hit the back of the net, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut were locked in a duel for the ages on the grass courts of Wimbledon. They were locked at 27-27 in the fifth set after their match had been suspended the night before by darkness. But they were just warming up. These guys incredibly kept holding serve to 59-59 when darkness intervened again. Isner looked like a punchdrunk fighter, but he was still throwing haymakers. Mahut was diving after balls at 54-54. Riveting stuff to watch two competitors play at such a high level when you know you'd be sucking wind after about 10 games. 
But that's why we watch the games...
