LONDON — Major League Baseball packaged its sport in full in its first foray into Europe — the ball flew and the game lasted nearly as long as the reign of Lady Jane Grey (look it up).
The fans, nearly 60,000, brought enthusiasm, balanced cheering and endurance. The last was particularly needed. The first MLB game in London marathoned at 4 hours, 42 minutes — three minutes short of the longest nine-inning game in history, which was also Yankees-Red Sox.
Players spoke of field turf that played fast like in Toronto and St. Petersburg, Fla., alleys that felt endless like in Coors Field and spacious foul territory like in Oakland, but on steroids.