Gene Fills Up Fenway As the Sox Never Have

Senator Eugene J. McCarthy and Iris cavalcade of stars brought a record-breaking crowd to Fenway Park last night for a rally while thousands more went wild in the streets outside.

McCarthy came to Boston yesterday afternoon to meet with the Massachusetts delegation and to demonstrate his popular support to the politicians with a series of super rallies across the nation.

After spending the afternoon talking with the Massachusetts delegation to the Democratic National Convention and with prominent financial backers, McCarthy drove in motorcade to Fenway Park.

There more than 40,000 McCarthyites jammed into the 34,000 seats breaking all records and the fire laws. A McCarthy staff member disclosed that they had oversold for the rally by 5000. Another 10,000 supporters supposedly were turned away outside. It was the largest gathering in McCarthy's eight month campaign.

McCarthy's entrance to Fenway Park was a magnificent spectacle. Precisely at 9:30 when Leonard Bernstein gave the cue a garage door opened in the "big green monster," as the center field wall is known. McCarthy's motorcade drove out of the wall across to left field where the grey-haired candidate emerged from his limousine surrounded by police.

The massive crowd's ovation rose as McCarthy strode in from left field like Yaz. Hundreds of red, white and blue McCarthy balloons drifted upwards. The crowd then started up "we want Gene." After a few minutes they stopped and McCarthy began to speak--calmly and quietly.

He spoke about the same things that he has been talking about since last November--the war, domestic ills and the style of government. After a half hour McCarthy left, while Joseph Rauh, the ADA and liberal leader, began a "pass the hat for Gene if you want to save the nation" pitch which may have raised $50,000.

As one wizened usher of many years put it after one of many precedents was shattered by the McCarthy rally, "I guess things are a bit different tonight."

They were Leonard Bernstein received a standing ovation; a woman sat in the previously all male press gallery; and a lot of bearded, beaded students saw the inside of the Park for the first time. Women in long black dresses walked by hot dog stands looking for their husbands as the Red Sox home's traditional brisk beer business fell off sharply.

It was a different night at Fenway. A night when the people--the middle class and intellectuals types--turned out to try to show the politicians that they meant something.