I actually wrote this in the fall of 2004 after the Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years. I just thought it should be posted here for anyone to read. Now, long gone are most of the idiots and Kurt's bloody red sock is enshrined in the HOF.86 years of desperation, suffering and heartbreak are over! The Boston Red Sox are the World Champions of Baseball!!!
Growing up in the Northwest, baseball was not a sport I followed for we had no local teams to root for. The biggest sports thrill of my childhood was the Portland Trailblazers winning the NBA Championship in the '76/'77 season. The only other truly emotional sports moment that comes to mind is the Miracle on Ice and I am not even a big hockey fan. A good friend took my to my first Major League Baseball game in 1985 at Fenway Park. I have been a Bleacher Creature at heart and a Red Sox fan ever since! I can't even remember who they played that day I was in such awe of the stadium, the fans and the atmosphere that surrounded the event. But I digress....
The first National League/American League World Series was held at Huntington Avenue Grounds (now the campus of Northeastern University) in 1903, 9 years before John Taylor built and moved the Red Sox (then known as the Americans) to Fenway Park. Boston won that match up with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 8 games of a 9 game series, besting the Pirates 5 games to 3.
Fenway Park opened in 1912 and Boston went on to win the World Series in 1912, 1915, 1916 and 1918 before the sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees following the 1919 season - the beginning of the Curse of the Bambino. Ruth was sold and January 5th of 1920 and prohibition went into effect the day after that - go figure.
In 1918, you could purchase a loaf of bread, a quart of milk and the latest edition of the Boston Globe for less than twenty-five cents! The First World War was ending and Ted Williams was born. Women didn't have the right to vote. The Star Spangled Banner was first heard at a World Series baseball game. Baseball was not even broadcast on the radio in those days and, of course, there was no television.
Now, 86 years later, after a record setting post season, the Red Sox are Champions again. This post season saw the 'Idiots' sweep the Angels in the Division Series. Then they went down 0-3 to the Yankees before coming back to win 4 straight to become the first team in Major League Baseball history to overcome that kind of deficit, and win the pennant (and if that wasn't enough, to strike the final blow in the house that Ruth built!).
Manny Ramirez was elected World Series MVP but it could have just as easily been one of several other gutsy players. Kurt Schilling gave new meaning to the term 'Red Sock'. Derek Lowe made his way back from the bullpen to win the finale in each of the post-season series. Tim Wakefield gave up a start to pitch in relief and Dave Roberts stole a crucial base to help the Bosox overcome the Yankees. Johnny Damon's bat came alive and he set the tone of the final game of the baseball season by starting off with a first inning home run to give the Red Sox the early lead in a series in which they never trailed. This was truly a team effort and my hat is off to all 25 members of the post-season squad for all of their efforts. The Boston Red Sox swept the Cardinals in 4 games, again dealing the final blow in the opposing team's ballpark, behind starting pitching that went 20 innings without a single earned run!
It was only appropriate that World Series Victory came on the night of a Lunar Eclipse. Many, Many thanks to the 2004 Boston Red Sox, arguably the greatest conglomeration of players to set foot on the hallowed grounds of Fenway Park or wear the Red Sox uniform. Many thanks as well to the management team that brought these players together.
Bill Buckner, sleep well. Ted Williams, rest in peace. Our Boston Red Sox are the World Champions.
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