Arthur D’Angelo is a familiar face to Red Sox fans. The co-founder of the Boston-based ’47 is the unofficial Mayor of Fenway thanks to his post inside the brand’s storefront prior to each game, waving at passers-by and letting some try on one of his many World Series rings. This season marks the 72nd home opener for D’Angelo—and the first since he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in May.

“Baseball has been my whole life,” says D’Angelo, the Red Sox’ longest-tenured season ticket holder—now in section 17, field box 38. “I don’t know anything else. I came to this country, and we started selling newspapers for two cents, and it was all about baseball because we were near Fenway Park.”

“I came to this country, and we started selling newspapers for two cents, and it was all about baseball because we were near Fenway Park.”

Arthur and his late twin brother, Henry, got their start selling flowers, papers, pennants and sports memorabilia from a pushcart outside of the ballpark after moving from Italy in 1938. Gradually, the duo added more merchandise to their inventory before founding Twin Enterprises, which was renamed ’47 in 2010 to commemorate the year the twins began their business. Today, the company carries headwear and apparel for all of the major professional sports teams and maintains its Jersey Street flagship for fans to buy their flair.

“He’s the hardest working guy you’ve ever met,” says Bobby D’Angelo, one of Arthur’s sons. “When he was a young man, he left our house every morning at 5 am and didn’t get home until midnight.”

These days, it’s even more of a family affair, with Arthur’s four sons—Bobby, Mark, David and Steven—running ’47’s day-to-day operations from its corporate base in Westwood, while the 92-year-old patriarch oversees the rest of the company. D’Angelo counts his sons carrying on the brand’s heritage as the highlight of his career, a legacy
that began early when he made each of his children learn the family trade whenever
they could, garnering a love for the game that means so much to their father along
the way.

To date, Arthur has attended more than 5,000 Red Sox games and says he’s frequented every one at Fenway since 1947. Coming off the 2018 Red Sox World Series win, visitors strolling down Jersey Street will likely catch D’Angelo seated in his signature baseball mitt chair at the entrance of his store this April.

“He’s really become a part of the upholstery of Fenway Park,” Bobby says. “His only problem is there’s only 81 home games. My father would like there to be one 365 days a year, because then he could go to the ballpark every single day.”