Salem Red Sox offer ballpark lunches to-go during canceled opening weekend

‘I love sports, so this has been really hard’

SALEM, Va. – Stadium seats remain empty and there aren’t any players in the dugouts waiting to step up to bat at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

Nevertheless, chefs in the kitchen are grilling up fan favorites.

Thursday was supposed to be opening day for the Salem Red Sox. Instead, the team lifted fans’ spirits by offering ballpark lunches to-go. The coronavirus has been a huge blow to sports fans because their favorite teams’ seasons are postponed or canceled altogether.

“I love sports, so this has been really hard,” said Susan Bowles, a Salem resident and Sox fan.

Will call is closed, but fans like Susan and her husband Corkey, still lined up outside the gates to get their ballpark lunches to-go.

“I ordered chicken tenders, love my chicken tenders. And he got a chili cheese dog,” said Susan.

Team General Manager Allen Lawrence knows fans are disappointed.

“Not having baseball is hard,” Lawrence said.

Chefs at Salem Memorial Ballpark cook classic ballpark meals to-go for Salem Red Sox fans during opening weekend, since it was postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19. (WSLS)

That’s why they decided to sell lunches for $5 to still give fans a taste of opening day. The meals are completely free for first responders, healthcare workers and grocery store employees.

“We can’t thank them enough and they’re a big part of us playing baseball this year,” Lawrence said. "It’s important for us to thank them like this.”

Opening Day was a family tradition for season pass holder Ross Hening and his kids.

“Definitely disappointed. I mean, this is something we looked forward to. I’ve been bringing them since they were itty-bitty," said Hening. "So it’s always been a big part of our lives.”

Todd Setchel’s sister-in-law is a nurse. He and his family got their meals from the ballpark on Thursday. Setchel said he couldn’t pass up the chicken tenders and fries.

“Hopefully we can get our sports back before you know it, and some sense of normalcy," Setchel said.

A mall sense of normalcy on a not-so-normal Opening Day.

“I would like to hope and think that we’re going to have baseball at some point this year. It might be a short season, but imagine the fun it would be to be here.”

The ballpark is offering to-go meals from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. through Saturday, April 11.

Customers can place orders by calling 540-302-0233 or emailing MFerrero@salemsox.com and meals can be picked up outside the front gates of the stadium.


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You can watch Lindsey during Virginia Today every weekend or as a reporter during the week!