David Aretha - The Treasure Hunt Stunt at Fenway Park

The Baseball GeeksJoe, Kevin, and Omarhave become celebrity sports fans after their adventure chronicled in Foul Ball Frame-up at Wrigley Field. Now the third installment of David Arethas The Baseball Geeks Adventures series has the boys heading to Boston to appear on a game show called Sports Jr. to be filmed at legendary Fenway Park. To win a huge prize, the Geeks must find a way to beat their opponents, especially the favored Little League Champs. Can the Geeks outsmart and outrun the Champs? Or will their dreams come crashing down like an outfielder slamming into Fenways Green Monster?

Thats the limousine? I said. It looks like a stinkin minivan!

Whoa! my dad shot back. Who do you think you areSnooki Polizzi? Keep your ego in check, Joe. Youre no TV star.

As we boarded the limousine on a sparkling May day at Bostons Logan Airport, Kevin and Omar were cracking up.

Snooki Polizzi... , Kevin said through his giggles.

He could have said Mike the Situation, added Omar, flailing his long arms for emphasis. But instead he called you Snooki!

Ha ha hawere all laughing, I replied.

Weeks earlier, Omar, Kevin, and Iknown around our suburban-Cleveland school as the Baseball Geekswere asked to appear on a reality TV show called Sports Jr. The producers were looking for four groups of famous baseball kids to appear in their Fenway Challenge, which would involve riddles and a treasure hunt. They chose us as one of the four groups. Us Geeks had become nationally famous due to our involvement with the Curse of Omar and the Chicago Cubs. (Its a long story. Youll have to read about it in Foul Ball Frame-up at Wrigley Field.) Anyway, there arent too many famous baseball kids, so it was like they had to pick us.

The six of us climbed into the limo, with Omar, Kevin, and I sharing the last row. Omar, who has a huge collection of MLB caps, wore his newly bought Red Sox cap for this special weekend. The dads sat in front of us, and what a threesome they were! My dad, Matthew Evers, is a clean-cut airplane mechanic who used to serve in the National Guard. Almost a year ago, he had to move two hundred miles away to Dayton, Ohio, to find work. So this was a rare chance for me to spend time with him.

Mr. Kernacki, Kevins dad, has spent time in jail and in a mental hospital. But that was years ago. Hes working now, and hes a nice guy. Hes also distinctive-looking, with curly, golden hair; a mustache; and circle frame glasses. Then theres Mr. Ovozi, Omars dad. Hes a tall, thin, dark-haired man from Uzbekistan. He speaks with an accent and talks loudly, especially when he says, Ohhh-marrr!

As for Omar, who is half Uzbek and half African American, he was downloading the free Bah-ston Accent app on his dads smartphone. Kevin and I were already laughing.

Okay, said Omar, it says that you first need to know the Boston vocabulary. A person from South Boston is called a Southie. And instead of eating a sub sandwich, you chow down on a grinderalso called a spuckie.

Would Snooki eat a spuckie? quipped Kevin, who still had a case of the giggles.

Snookis from New Jersey, Mr. Ovozi bellowed.

Kev was doubling over in laughter. Normally, hes a serious, often-nervous kid. But I think helike Omar and Iwas just excited to be on this adventure.

Okay, Omar announced, as we drove through Ted Williams Tunnel. Whats a Chowda Head?

Shhh! I said, pointing to the driver.

Nah, its not an insult, he said. It just means someone from Boston. Like if you live in Wisconsin, youre a Cheesehead.

What if youre from Ohio? I asked.

Dad, Omar said. What is Ohio known for?

Making rubber tires, he replied.

Rubberheads! Kevin squeaked while clutching his tummy in laughter.

Mr. Kernacki turned around, smiling. Kevin, he said. Dont pee your pants.

That got Omar and I cracking up.

Hey, Joe, Omar asked me while reading about Boston accents. Ask the dri-vah... if he can drive the cah... to Mah-thas Vin-yahd... so we can have lobstah... for suppa!

All three dads turned around, looking at Omaror should I say, O-mahwith amused expressions. As for Kevin, he was now double-clutching his stomach, he was laughing so hard. A tear rolled out of the corner of his eye. Then he put his hands over his lap.

Wait, I said to him. You didnt...

A little bit! he said.

Oh, brother, Mr. Kernacki said, shaking his head and smiling. When the cameras are rolling, Kev, make sure you hold it in.

Kevin was able to change his pants in style. Thats because the Sports Jr. producers set us up in the Boston Marriott Long Wharf hotel. It has spectacular views of the Boston Harbor, with all its sailboats and yachts. The lobby was modern and massive, and the rooms had massive flat-screen TVs in high-def.

That night, Kevin suggested we walk to the water and watch the sun set on the Atlantic Ocean. The five of us had to remind him that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Oh, yeah, he said. We ended up walking the streets of Boston looking for some grub. We thought that Yankee Lobster was an odd name for a restaurant, since Bostonians hate the New York Yankees. We wound up at a sandwich shop that named its grindas and other meals after famous Red Sox players.

Omar got the Big Papi, a ginor-mous burger that honored All-Star slugger David Big Papi Ortiz. Kevin ordered the Gooey Dewey, a cheesy sandwich named after legendary right fielder Dwight Dewey Evans. And I got the Splendid Splinter, which came with .406 pounds of corned beef. As everyone in Boston knows, Ted the Splendid Splinter Williams batted .406 one year for the Red Sox.

But the real fun began the next morning, when we cabbed it to Fenway Park. En route to the ballpark, we strolled past Red Sox memorabilia shops, eateries, and old-fashioned light poles.

I always thought of Fenway Park as being all green, my dad said. But the exterior is largely red brick.

Hanging down from the brick walls were enormous banners. Each one signified a Red Sox championship, be it an Eastern Division title (white banner), American League title (blue), or World Series championship (red).

How come, Mr. Ovozi asked, there are no red banners between 1918 and 2004?

Omar, Kev, and I explained. The Red Sox went eighty-six years without winning a World Series. Many people blamed it on the Curse of the Bambino, meaning Babe Ruth. After Fenway Park opened in 1912, the Red Sox won four World Series through 1918, including three with Ruth. But Boston traded that great pitcher-turned-slugger to the Yankees after the 1919 season. From 1920 to 2003, the Yankees won 26 World Series titles and the Red Sox won zero!

The Red Sox came oh-so-close many times. In 1946, 1967, 1975, and 1986, they made it to Game 7 of the World Seriesand lost. In 1946, it was Slaughters Mad Dash that did them in. In 1967, Bostons Impossible Dream season came up one win short. Catcher Carlton Fisk won Game 6 of the 75 Series with a thrilling twelfth-inning home run, but the BoSox lost Game 7 to Cincinnatis Big Red Machine. The 1986 title seemed in the bag... until the Sox blew a two-run, tenth-inning, Game 6 lead to the New York Mets.

The Red Sox faithful are known as the most devoted and knowledgeable fans in baseball. Eighty-six years of losing took its toll on them. Diehard fans lived long lives and never saw their team win a World Series.

Until 2004, Kevin said. They were down three games to none to the Yankees in the American League Championship Series, and then won four straight.