BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox think their lyric little bandbox deserves a great big birthday party. The ballclub will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fenway Parks first game next year with a yearlong celebration that will be heavy on history and filled with special events to usher the oldest ballpark in major-league history into its second century. "We are going to be the first to do that and, pardon me, but we are going to do it in a major, big-time way," Red Sox president and chief executive officer Larry Lucchino said on Thursday. "This is an important year for us." The actual anniversary will be observed on April 20, 2012, with a 3:05 p.m. game against the New York Yankees -- a repeat of the afternoon game the Red Sox played against the Yankees precursor, the Highlanders, on that date in 1912. The opener -- the same week the Titanic sank -- was twice delayed by rainouts. (The actual first baseball game at Fenway was an exhibition against Harvard. Vice president Sam Kennedy said the school has arranged for representatives to come to the ballpark on April 9, when the Red Sox will be playing in Toronto, for a workout or exhibition to be determined.) The schedule was laid out at a news conference in a club suite as the ballpark was decked out for Christmas, with giant wreaths hanging from the Green Monster. Artifacts from Fenways history were on display, as were items featuring the Fenway 100 logo that have been available for purchase this winter. In attendance were longtime Red Sox player and coach Johnny Pesky and Lou Lucier, who at 95 is the oldest living former Red Sox player. Current players Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Lavarnway were also there, modeling their uniforms with the Fenway 100 patch that the team will wear this season. "It means more than just playing baseball when you put on the uniform," Saltalamacchia said. "Just being a baseball player watching the history unfold, its something amazing to watch." The Red Sox also announced a charitable campaign called "100 Acts of Kindness," which will involve donations, volunteer efforts and community events. To start, the team donated a copy of its new coffee table book, "Fenway Park: 100 Years" to each branch of the Boston Public Library and to the libraries of all 125 schools in the Boston Public School system. "A baseball team without a sense of social responsibility is not the kind of baseball team we want to be," Lucchino said. The team also announced that it is forming a not-for-profit called the Preserve Fenway Park Fund, which will raise money to preserve and display historic artifacts in the ballpark. The team has already documented and preserved more than 4,000 items, including photos, architectural plans, baseballs and ballpark memorabilia including chairs, signs, tickets, lineup cards, bases and championship pennants. Many of these archives will be on display at Fenway during the 2012 season. "We think Fenway Park is a museum. Its also a vibrant, lively ballpark," Lucchino said. "We want it to be both." Among the other plans are: --Throwback days, one confirmed so far, against the Oakland Athletics on May 2, when the Red Sox will wear its 1936 uniform to acknowledge the year they acquired Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx from the Philadelphia As. --A 256-page coffee table book on the ballpark history, with a foreword by Stephen King and remembrances by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Conan OBrien, George Will, Charles Ogletree, and Bobby Orr. --A logo that will be on merchandise that is for sale and on game-used equipment, including the bases and all of the balls used during games, Kennedy said. --An open house on April 19 -- the day before the anniversary -- where fans will be allowed to enter the ballpark for free to view historical artifacts and memorabilia and meet former Red Sox players. Fans will also be able to visit parts of the ballpark not normally accessible, such as the dugout tunnels and clubhouse, the team said. --Commemorative tickets, featuring a photo of the original entrance from 1912. The Red Sox opened the celebration on Thursday with a old-timey re-enactment of the auction for the parcel of land that Charles Taylor bought for $120,0000 in the winter of 2010. Upstairs, local writer Dick Flavin, "the poet-laureate of Red Sox Nation," recited a poem he wrote in honour of the occasion. Before beginning, Flavin remarked on the historic nature of the gathering. "It is interesting to note that 100 years from today, there will be a press conference on this very spot," he said, "to announce that the Red Sox and Chicago Cubs have reached an agreement on compensation for Theo Epstein." Coach Handbags Outlet . The Cleveland Browns plan to have an "appropriate recognition" for the late Modell at the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Coach Outlet . PETERSBURG, Russia -- Top-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia reached the semifinals of the St. [url=http://www.official-coach-shop.com/]http://www.official-coach-shop.com/[/ur... .C. -- Russ Cochran topped the SAS Championship leaderboard Friday in his return from a back injury, hitting all hit all 18 greens in regulation and shooting a 6-under 66.ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Tamba Hali and the Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to terms on a five-year deal worth US$60 million, making the outside linebacker one of the highest-paid pass rushers in the NFL. A person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press late Wednesday that $35 million of the contract is guaranteed. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made, also said that Hali plans to be at training camp with the rest of the Chiefs on Thursday afternoon. Hali had been designated as the Chiefs franchise player after a breakthrough season in which he led the AFC with 14 1/2 sacks. He had been playing on a five-year deal worth $3.3 million, but his new contract puts him in the same echelon as Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Ware, who has a $78-million, six-year deal. The Kansas City coaching staff and front office never seemed too concerned that Hali had not agreed to a new contract as the first week of training camp came to a close. When asked Monday whether he was happy with his pass rush, defensive co-ordinator Romeo Crennel replied: "No! Tambas not here yet!" Crennel went on to say, "Soon as Tamba gets here, my pass rush will improve." Thats about to happen. Hali will be joined by a number of free agent veterans who have been unable to fully participate in practice before Thursday because of rules set out in the new collective-bargaining agreement. Among the new faces that hell join are former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Kelly Gregg, former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Steve Breaston, ex-San Diego Chargers linebacker Brandon Siler, and former All-Pro fullback LeRon McClain, who agreed to a one-year deal earlier Wednesday. Wallace Gilberry could also get on the field Thursday. The defensive end was a restricted free agent who recently signed his contract after finishing second on the team with seven sacks a year ago. The 27-year-old Hali was chosen by the Chiefs with the 20th overall pick in the 2006 draft afteer a stellar career at Penn State.dddddddddddd He immediately moved into the starting lineup at defensive end in the 4-3 alignment used by the previous coaching staff, and had eight sacks during his rookie season. With a new regime came a switch to a 3-4 defence, and Hali seamlessly transitioned to outside linebacker. He had 8 1/2 sacks two years ago before a breakout season in which his 14 1/2 sacks was just one behind Ware for the most in the NFL. Hali also made 51 total tackles, forced four fumbles and recovered two for a defence that struggled to create turnovers last season. The performance resulted in his first Pro Bowl invitation, which he declined citing personal reasons, and now a massive new contract that could keep him in Kansas City through the 2015-16 season. Hali has become a fan favourite as much for his engaging backstory as his ability to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks. He left Liberia at the age of 10, became a standout for Joe Paterno at Penn State, and catapulted up the draft boards to become a first-round selection. He became a permanent U.S. citizen soon after he was drafted by the Chiefs. Halis impending arrival at training camp leaves only cornerback Brandon Carr and linebacker Justin Houston unsigned. Carr has been a starter the past three seasons and is an unrestricted free agent; Houston was the teams third-round draft pick and is being counted on to help bolster the pass rush. Crennel said he believes Houston will eventually sign, but he also warned that the former Georgia defensive end will have a much more difficult time getting up to speed than Hali. The NFL lockout prevented rookie minicamps and other organized team activities, leaving first-year players struggling to learn playbooks and pick up the nuances of professional football. "Its going to hurt him a little more because he doesnt even know the system. Tamba knows the system," Crennel said. "Justin is a rookie. He just has to feel his way. So the time he misses will hurt him." ' ' '