The Boston Red Sox on Wednesday announced that they have submitted plans to rename Yawkey Way outside Fenway Park, and that is not sitting well with the Yawkey Foundation.
Last year, Red Sox owner John Henry declared that he wanted to change the name of the street, which surrounds Fenway Park, running parallel to the third base line. Henry’s desire to change the street name stems from the racist history of former team owner Tom Yawkey.
The Red Sox have filed a petition with the Boston Public Improvement Commission to change the street’s name back to Jersey Street, its original name.
The Yawkey Foundation, a charitable arm funded by Tom Yawkey’s estate and his wife, said in response that they were “deeply disappointed” by the move. They’re hoping the commission will reject the request.
“We urge the commission to consider all the facts concerning Tom Yawkey’s ownership of the Red Sox and the sweep of his life,” the foundation said, via the Boston Herald.
“We are confident that if it does so, it will reject Henry’s petition.”
Under Yawkey, the Red Sox were the last MLB team to integrate and did not have a black player on their roster until 1959. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947.
