Here’s Fenway Park Peanut Allergy-Friendly Days

The 2019 MLB season is in full swing. And while Boston Red Sox fans are excited to have baseball back, it’s a good time to remember that buying peanuts and Cracker Jack isn’t fun for everyone. In fact, it could be the difference between life and death.

In fact, about one in 90 Americans is allergic to either tree nuts or peanuts, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, and the number of kids with peanut allergies tripled between 1997 and 2008. Furthermore, about 150 people die each year from food allergies.

While most allergic reactions aren’t life-threatening, some can cause severe reactions known as anaphylaxis. Those most vulnerable to such severe reactions often have to carry special adrenaline, or epinephrine, injector pens.

So it’s no wonder that more and more baseball teams offer peanut allergy-friendly games. According to Spokin, an online food allergy resource site, 26 teams now offer peanut allergy-friendly games or seating.

The Red Sox are one of them. Adults and kids, otherwise forced to watch the Sox from home, can attend such games on April 28, May 12, June 9, June 23, July 16, August 11 and August 18.

Special seating is available for those games in the roof terraces in right field. The area is cleaned 12 hours before the game and the surrounding concession stands will not sell peanut products during the game.

Tickets for these peanut-free games are sold on a first-come, first-served basis through this email address: peanutallergy@redsox.com.

Three teams, the Oakland A’s, Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Rays, go “above and beyond” to make their stadiums safe for fans with nut allergies, according to Spokin.

The Diamondbacks have a reserve suite for such fans that comes with a private bathroom. The A’s offer a peanut-controlled zone for all home games, meaning the food is banned in certain seating areas. The Rays allow people to call ahead and reserve a suite designated as a peanut-allergy zone.

Notably, the Hartford Yard Goats, the Double-A Eastern League Affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, recently became the first professional sports team to outright ban all peanut products at the ballpark. That includes shelled peanuts and Cracker Jack. The team did so in an “effort to make the venue more accessible for those with peanut and tree nut allergies.”

The team banned peanuts following a series of meetings with concerned parents.

"Everyone should have the opportunity to experience the atmosphere at Dunkin' Donuts Park," team President Tim Restall said in a release. "With more than 200 food items available, it makes sense to eliminate just two that allows fans with peanut allergies to attend games."

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.