On May 14, 2003, the Red Sox beat the Rangers, 7-1. David Ortiz went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and Nomar Garciaparra added a two-run home run. And it was the last game played at Fenway in front of any empty seats.
The next night, May 15, saw Fenway sold out, and it's been that way ever since, with Sunday's game (oddly enough, also against the Rangers) marking the franchise's 600th straight sellout.
With a sellout in this afternoon's game against the Texas Rangers, the fans of Red Sox Nation have reached 600 consecutive regular season sellout games at Fenway Park extending their record of most consecutive sellouts in baseball history. The previous Major League Baseball record of 455, set by the Cleveland Indians between 1995-2001, was surpassed by Red Sox fans on September 8, 2008.
The Red Sox have long had the record for most consecutive sellouts so 600 is really more of a nice, round number for the front office to celebrate. But it's obviously still impressive.
Another 145 sellouts -- a mark they'd reach early in 2012 if the streak continues -- and the Red Sox would then own the record for the longest recorded regular season sellout streaks in American professional sports, passing the 1977-1996 Portland Trailblazers.