BEYOND the BOOKS
Summer Sojourn: What Could Be Better than a South African Safari? By Michael Pastore ’20
T
HIS PAST summer, I had the privilege of going on a safari in South
Lt. Col. Bob Benjamin and his son Liam ’18 cheer on their beloved Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Africa with my grandparents and my
uncle and his family. What a unique, exotic place! It was a 10-day trip full of adventure. From buffalo to impala, springbok to hartebeest, giraffe to zebra, I saw all kinds of animals for the first time — and even hunted a few myself. To have the opportunity to hunt warthog, impala, blesbok, and spring-
Honors During ‘a Wild Night’ at Fenway Park
L
T. COL. BOB BENJAMIN went to
right field, just behind the Pesky Pole.
his first Red Sox game in 1964,
Between the 4th and 5th innings, he
when he was just four years old.
and his son Liam ’18 stood on the dugout
He’s been a fan ever since. “My grampa used to take me to
and were honored by the crowd. “Having 40,000 people standing and
bok was like nothing I’ve ever experienced
Fenway in the late ’60s, and I sat in the
cheering was pretty wild,” Benjamin said.
in my life.
bleachers for about 20 games in the 1975
“I was especially glad that Liam got to
season — $1 a seat,” the ’Wick Upper
share the experience with me, as he’s a
School English teacher recalled. “I’ll even
huge Sox fan.
Our guide, Yvan, grew up in South Africa and was full of helpful insight throughout the journey.
admit that I skipped class in college to
He told us about all the
watch the infamous ‘Bucky Dent’ playoff
animals and the African
game in 1978.”
landscape, which is a
win that night!” Benjamin, who just began his 25th year of teaching at ’Wick, recently
combination of desert and
Recreation Office at Ft. Devens, Mass.,
concluded his command of the 167th
grassy, rolling hills that
sought volunteers for “Hats off to He-
Combat Sustainment Support Battal-
provides the ideal environ-
roes”— a program spearheaded by the
ion (CSSB). Having been selected for
ment to harbor wildlife.
Boston Red Sox to salute armed-service
Colonel, he’s currently awaiting
As a whole, the safari
veterans — Benjamin quickly supplied
assignment.
was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. After all, what could be better than waking up within 15 yards of a mother rhino and her baby? I think they were even staring at me.
62 | TIMES
So, when the Morale, Welfare and
“We only wish the Sox had managed to
OF BRUNSWICK • FALL 2014
his information. The Belmont, Mass., native was soon contacted and offered a choice of several dates to attend a game at Fenway. Ultimately, on July 1, Benjamin and family members watched the Sox take on the Chicago Cubs from great seats in