What is Bambino's Curse? What is Bambino's Curse? What is My Belief? the Legend of the Curse In 1918 the Red Sox won their 5th World Series, the most by any club at that time. One of the stars of the Boston championship franchise was a young pitcher by the name of George Herman Ruth, aka The Babe or The Bambino. In 1920, however, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee needed money to finance his girlfriend's play, so he sold Babe Ruth's contract to Colonel Jacob Ruppert's New York Yankees for $100,000 (plus a loan collateralized by Fenway Park). Since then, the Yankees, who had never won a World Championship before acquiring Ruth, have gone on to win 26, and are arguably one of the greatest success stories in the history of sport. Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox have appeared in only four World Series since 1918, losing each one in game seven.

Many consider Boston's performance after the departure of Babe Ruth to be attributable to "The Curse of the Bambino." the Weblog The weblog Bambino's Curse is my attempt to capture the day to day experience of being a life long Red Sox fan, an experience marked by more lows than highs, but an experience that in the end has its own rewards. Like the adage says, the treasure is always found in the journey itself and not the final destination. So each day (or close to it) during the regular season (less frequently during the off season), I post my thoughts on the main page . As far as the actual writing goes, I'll be the first to admit it's a work in progress. I have a daily struggle with the writing, especially with trying to establish my own unique voice and tone. Even after doing this for the entire '01 season and beyond , , I STILL don't have a solid grasp or comfort level with the words on the screen.

Some days I come across as a dull "just the facts, ma'am" correspondent doing little more than aping what others, the professional sports writers, do so, so much better than I; other days I sound like a pathetic school girl crying into the pages of her diary, and other times I seem unsure whether the whole Bambino's Curse experience for me is an ironic, tongue-in-cheek joke or a profound and earnest attempt to understand and share my inner-self. I guess my uncertainty makes sense, as what I'm trying to do when I write is a mixture of all the above. the Evidence of the Curse Over the years, the Red Sox have compiled one of the most infamous stories of defeat, near miss, and utter collapse that the world of sports has ever known. To read the gory details, check out the ultimate timeline of Amazing Boston Red Sox Losses, Remarkable Collapses and other Record Breaking Feats at SoxSuck.com (link opens in new window).

After looking the timeline over, ask yourself if it's all "just a coincidence." the meaning of "1918," The ubiquitous appearance on the Bambino's Curse website of "1918," refers to the last year the Red Sox won the World Series. The comma is symbolic of the fact that at the time of selling Babe Ruth in 1920 the Red Sox were the premier team in baseball, and everyone expected they'd win the next World Series quite soon. The comma is in expectation of completing the listing of the championship years: 1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1918, . . . Well, we've been waiting for the next one for 83 years now.

The comma following the 1918 date continues to symbolize every Red Sox fan's ongoing belief that a World Series Championship will happen "next year." An unfortunate yet familiar phrase among Red Sox fans is "wait 'til next year." The Curse of the Bambino - Dan Shaughnessy - Google Books The Curse of the Bambino 3 Reviews Any Red Sox fan or baseball buff will tell you: The Sox haven't won a World Series since 1918. Certainly they've come close more times than they wish to remember. Did the unorthodox sale of the greatest baseball player who ever lived cause the Red Sox to be cursed forever? With a wry sense of humor, Dan Shaughnessy traces the frustrating history of the Red Sox since Babe Ruth went to the Yankees. Here, he sheds light on some classic baseball conundrums -- from Johnny Pesky's so-called hesitation throw in the 1946 World Series, to the horrifying dribbler that slithered between Bill Buckner's legs in the 1986 series against the Mets, and the expulsion of Roger Clemens in the final game of the 1990 League Championship Series against the Oakland A's.

Lively and filled with anecdotes, this is baseball folklore at its best. From inside the book What people are saying - Write a review LibraryThing Review User Review - SethAndrew - LibraryThing Shaughnessy writes a very interesting history of the Red Sox as told through the lens of the so called Curse. He looks at the sale of Ruth and then goes into how it has affected the Sox for the past ... Read full review LibraryThing Review User Review - ghimbert - LibraryThing I found this book to be very interesting. It is a fictional story filled with many facts which make it non-fiction. As a baseball fan it tells a story that not many people know off the top of their ...

Read full review Red Sox win first championship since 1918 - Oct 27, 2004 - HISTORY.com Red Sox win first championship since 1918 Share this: Red Sox win first championship since 1918 Author Red Sox win first championship since 1918 URL Publisher A+E Networks On October 27, 2004, the Boston Red Sox win the World Series for the first time since 1918, finally vanquishing the so-called “Curse of the Bambino” that had plagued them for 86 years. “This is for anyone who has ever rooted for the Red Sox,” the team’s GM told reporters after the game. “This is for all of Red Sox Nation, past and present.” Ever since team owner and Broadway producer Harry Frazee sold the great Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1920—he got $125,000 and a $300,000 loan, which he used to pay Fenway’s mortgage and put on the musical No, No, Nannette—the Sox had been tragically unable to win the World Series. People said that the team was cursed.

Before 1920, the Sox had won five championships and the Yanks hadn’t won any; after the Babe left, Boston’s well ran dry. The Yankees, meanwhile, won a record 26 times after 1920. Over and over, the hapless Sox almost won—and over and over, they didn’t. In 1946, they were winning Game 7 with two outs in the eighth—until shortstop Johnny Pesky held onto a relay throw just long enough for Enos Slaughter to score the winning run (from first base). They lost in 1967 and 1975. Three years after that, in a one-game playoff for the AL championship, they lost when Yankee shortstop Bucky Dent, not exactly a reliable slugger, cranked one over the Green Monster with two men on base. (The Bombers won the game and went on to win their 22nd World Series.) And in the sixth game of the 1986 series against the Mets, just one out away from the championship, the Sox defense managed to bungle a series of easy plays so badly that they lost the game—and the next one, and the series.

The Curse of the Bambino, it seemed, would never die. But in 2004, the team’s luck changed. The Yanks had been three games up in the American League Championship Series, but Boston made a miraculous comeback and swept the last four. After that, it turned out, the Series itself was pretty dull. The St. Louis Cardinals were the NL champs and they had the best regular-season record in the majors, but in the series, their pitching was weak and their batting was worse. The Sox won the first three games handily. By the fourth, the Sox were playing like they won the Series every year. Johnny Damon led off with a homer that smashed into the St. Louis bullpen; Trot Nixon’s bases-loaded double in the third scored two more; pitcher Derek Lowe gave up just three hits in seven innings. The game’s end was as mundane as the rest of the series had been: Edgar Renteria plunked an easy grounder to closer Keith Foulke, who tossed the ball to first baseman Doug Mientkeiwicz in plenty of time for the out. The team mobbed the field; the crowd went wild.

“This,” wrote a columnist for the Globe, “is what it must have felt like in 1918.” In the 2007 World Series, the Sox did it again—they swept the Rockies for another easy victory. For now, they’ve won more championships in the 21st century than any other team. Related Videos Baseball-Previous World Series between St. Louis and Boston Baseball-Previous World Series between St. Louis and Boston Tweet Share Oct 21 (Reuters) - The St Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox will meet in the World Series for the fourth time. Here is a look back at their previous meetings. - - 1946 (Cardinals 4, Red Sox 3) Appearing in their first World Series since 1918, the Red Sox won the opening game 3-2 when Rudy York his a 10th inning home run. York also homered in Game Three as Boston won three of the first five games.

Needing to the last two games, the Cardinals tied the series at 3-3 by taking Game Six, then won the decider when outfielder Enos Slaughter ran home from first base to score the winner in the bottom of the eighth in a play that became known as the Mad Dash. - - 1967 (Cardinals 4, Red Sox 3) The Cardinals were appearing in the World Series for the second time in four season after winning the title in 1964 while the Red Sox were back in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1946. The Cardinals, led by future Hall of Famers Orlando Cepeda and Bob Gibson, won three for the first four games before Boston's "Impossible Dream" team fought back to win the next two and force a Game Seven. The Cardinals won the decider 7-2 with Gibson pitching his third complete game of the series and also blasting a home run.

- - 2004 (Red Sox 4, Cardinals 0) The Red Sox had gone 86 years since claiming their last World Series and their hopes of ending the drought seemed a lost cause when they trailed the New York Yankees 3-0 in the American League championship. But against all odds, they came back to beat the Yankees 4-3 and join the Cardinals in the Fall Classic. Unlike their two previous meetings, the Red Sox dominated from the outset, winning the first two games at Fenway Park and completing a sweep by winning both games on the road to end the so-called "Curse of the Bambino." (Compiled by Julian Linden; Editing by Gene Cherry) Reblog The Curse: The Reason for Christmas | Babe Ruth The Curse: The Reason for Christmas My Christmas meditation for friends and coworkers in 2004. Written in light of the Red Sox beating the Yankees four straight games to get to and win the World Series. Copyright: Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC) The Boston Red Sox won the 1 st World Seriesin 1903.

In fact, of the first fifteen WorldSeries, the American League team from BeanTown won five (1903, 1912, 1915, 1916 and1918). Despite this great beginning, over thenext 85 years, the team would be in only fourFall Classics (1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986) andwould lose all of them, often underheartbreaking circumstances. This disparity between the team’s first fifteen years and subsequent eighty-five years was often blamedon something that occurred in 1920. The 1915,1916 & 1918 teams had the greatest baseballplayer of all- time, George Herman “Babe” Ruth. He may have become the greatest pitcherof all-time (i.e., he had a lifetime winningpercentage of 0.671 and ERA of 2.27), but hisbat was too potent for him not to be in thelineup everyday and so he was converted to anoutfielder.

Despite the fact that he was 9-5 as apitcher with an ERA of 2.97 and led the leaguein runs (103), home runs (29), runs batted in(101), and slugging average (0.657) in 1919, the Red Sox sold Babe or “The Bambino” to the New York Yankees in 1920.Before the sale, the Yankees had not been in aWorld Series. After the sale, the Yankeeswould be in 39 World Series through 2003,winning 26 of them. This change in thefortunes of these two franchises was attributed by many to what was called “The Curse of theBambino”. Ev en though there really was nocurse, there is no need to speak of it any moresince the Red Sox won the World Series in2004, after beating the Yankees in theAmerican League Championship Series. Indoing so they did what no other major leaguebaseball team had done - win a 7 game seriesafter falling behind 3 games to 0.

You ask, “What does this have to do withChristmas?” The true story behind Christmas is also about a curse, a real one. The ApostlePaul writes to the assembly in Galatia:For as many as are of works of law areunder a curse , for it hath been written, ‘ Cursed [is] every one who is not remaining in all things that have beenwritten in the Book of the Law – ,’ and that in law no one is declaredrighteous with God, is evident … Messiahdid redeem us from the curse of the law,having become for us a curse is every one who ishanging on a tree .’ (Galatians 3:10, 11, 13)If you are hoping that you are right with Godbecause you are a “ ” , theApostle Paul wants to awake you from yourfantasy. He describes anyone depending on their own good works as those who “are of theworks of the law”. Why is it foolish to trust in your own ability to keep the law (e.g., the TenCommandments)?

Paul indicates that you areunder a curse by quoting Deuteronomy 27:26: Cursed is he who does not establish thewords of this law, to do them.What does cursed mean? If you want to get ataste of what it means to be cursed by God,please read Deuteronomy 28:15-68. It essentially means to come under God’s wrath, resulting ultimately in death. 3:11, Paul says that it is evident that “in the law no one is declared ri ghteous with God”. Why? Simply stated: to be righteous with God bykeeping the law requires perfect obedience.James writes:For whoever shall keep the whole law, andyet stumble in one [point] all. For He who said, ‘ Do not commit adultery Do not murder .’ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you domurder, you have become a transgressor of law. (James 2:10-11)If we disobey once, then we come under thecurse of the law.

If we keep in mind that thegreatest commandment is to love the Lord ourGod with all our heart, mind, soul, andstrength, we will realize that we are sinningconstantly. Do you love God? Have you everloved Him with ALL your heart, mind, souland strength? I cannot answer the first questionfor you, but I can guarantee that the answer tothe second question is NO!The Red Sox could do things to get themselvesout from under the so- called “Curse of theBambino”. For example, they could (and did) acquire players like Curt Schilling, DavidOrtiz, Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon, andPedro Martinez, who could finally playtogether as a team and live up to their potential.The bad news for us is there is absolutelynothing we can do to get out from under the “Curse of the Law”. The prophet Jeremiah asks:Can the Ethiopian change his skin or theleopard its spots? Then may you also dogood who are accustomed to do evil.(Jeremiah 13:23)The obvious answer to his rhetorical question isNO!! Therefore, neither can we change ourown hearts. In ourselves, we are powerless andhopeless.

But thank God He did not leave usalone:For when we were still without strength ,in due time Messiah died for the ungodly . …God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us . (Romans 5:6-8)Without the cross, Christmas is meaningless. God’s answer to our problem was redemption 30 Most Intense Moments in the Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry | Bleacher Report 30 Most Intense Moments in the Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry By Bob Warja , Senior Writer Apr 20, 2012 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow 14.2K 9 Comments The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is one of the most famous and fiercest rivalries in all of sports. For more than a century, these two ballclubs have butted heads. In fact, the Sox went 86 years in between World Series titles (1918-2004), with some blaming the so-called "Curse of the Bambino" for the long championship drought.

While selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees may not have been their best move, the Sox certainly have become one of the winningest teams since breaking the curse, though it is the Yankees that hold the record for most titles, with 27. On the weekend series of April 20-22, the Red Sox will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park against the Yankees—the team they opened with. Recognizing this historic achievement, I present to you the 30 most intense moments in the history of this famed rivalry. The moments are presented in chronological order. Enjoy. ________________________________________________________________ Next » May 7, 1903: First Official Meeting Well, you got to start somewhere, so it may as well be the first official meeting between the teams. From 1901 through 1918, the Red Sox were one of the most successful teams in baseball. They won the very first World Series in 1903, though they were known as the Boston Americans then. The changed their name to the Red Sox in 1908 and went on to win four more titles between 1912 and 1918.

During this time, the Yankees were often called the Highlanders, in reference to the neighborhood they played their games in. The Yankees franchise was in Baltimore when the teams first met in 1901, but on May 7, 1903, both teams played for the first time since they moved to New York to be named the Highlanders. Of course, their was a fight (yes, the rivalry has begun!) when Boston pitcher George Winter was knocked down. But Boston would go on to win the pennant and the very first World Series. Meanwhile, a rivalry was in the making. Boston Sells Babe Ruth to the Yankees Jim McIsaac/Getty Images While this does not technically qualify as an "intense" moment, it certainly cannot be ignored for the impact it had on future relations between the teams. In 1916, Harry Frazee bought the Sox on credit (for $500,000), and he was under pressure to get out of debt caused by his purchase of the team and his Broadway shows, which he produced. Needing money to finance the Broadway musical No, No Nanatte, Frazee sold several players, including a guy by the name of Babe Ruth.

It would not be one of the Red Sox' better moves. Frazee got $125,000 and a $300,000 loan for the Babe. The Yankees dynasty had begun while the Sox went into a funk. While the Red Sox's five World Series titles were a record at the time, 1918 would be the team's last championship for 86 years. Next » May 30, 1938: Jake Powell Fights Joe Cronin At Yankee Stadium, on May 30, 1938, with 83,533 fans on hand, Yankees outfielder Jake Powell and Red Sox player-manager Joe Cronin fought on the field and underneath the stands. Each player received a fine and a 10-game suspension. The Yankees would wind up finishing first and the Red Sox second in the league that year (there were no divisions at the time of course). New York would go on to sweep the Cubs in the World Series. They also won the title the following year, (beating the Reds) with the Sox again finishing second. 1941: Ted Williams vs.

Joe DiMaggio Jim McIsaac/Getty Images The rivalry intensified in 1941 when Red Sox legend Ted Williams batted .406, becoming the last hitter to ever bat above .400 in a season. Yet, he finished second in the AL MVP race to the Yankees' Joe DiMaggio, who had a record 56-game hit streak. Here are some lesser-known facts about the DiMaggio-Williams rivalry. DiMaggio's hit streak started in a 13-1 loss to the Sox on May 15, 1941. Plus, the two were almost traded for each other. Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey and Yankees GM Larry MacPhail were rumored to have a verbal agreement to swap the two players in 1948, but MacPhail refused to include Yogi Berra, so the deal fell through. Finally, Joe's brother Dom played the Sox his entire career. Next » 1948 Pennant Race Another intense moment in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry occurred during the 1948 pennant race.

Legendary manager Joe McCarthy came out of retirement after a feud with Yankee ownership and signed with the Red Sox in 1948. Each team was involved in an intense pennant race with the Cleveland Indians until the final weekend. The Sox eliminated the Yankees in the final series at Fenway Park, despite four DiMaggio hits in the final game. So, in a tie for the pennant with Cleveland, the teams were forced into the first-ever, one-game playoff, which the Indians won; If the Sox had won, it could have been an all-Boston World Series, as the NL was represented by the Boston Braves. Next » 1961 Roger Maris Hits 61st Home Run off Red Sox Rookie The 1961 season included a furious assault of the single-season home run record by Yankees Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. While Mantle got hurt late in the season, Maris would go on to break Babe Ruth's all-time record for home runs in a season with his 61st homer. On the last day of the season, Maris hit that fateful homer off of—who else—a Red Sox pitcher. Tracy Stallard gave up the home run to Maris at Yankee Stadium.

New York won the game 1-0. That season, the Yankees won their 26th pennant and 19th World Series title. Next » 1967 Billy Rohr Near-Miss No-Hitter vs. Yanks Six years later, in 1967, while the peace and love generation were walking around with flowers in their eyes, rookie Red Sox pitcher Billy Rohr was flirting with a no-hitter at—where else—Yankee Stadium. Of all the teams to throw a no-hitter against, to have a Red Sox pitcher throw one against the rival Yankees was beyond amazing to Sox fans. Meanwhile, Rohr not only got the first two outs of the ninth inning, he came within a strike of placing his name in the record books. But Elston Howard spoiled the Sox party by hitting a single to end the no-hit bid. Rohr finished the one-hitter, but incredibly had only one more win in his major league career. And, of course, both of his wins came against the Yankees.

Next » 1967 Double-Header Brawl That same year, Red Sox third baseman Joe Foy slugged a grand slam during the first game of a doubleheader against the Yankees. In the second game, Yankee pitcher Thad Tillotson threw some chin music at Foy, not once, but twice. The next pitch beaned Foy in the helmet. So, the next inning, Sox pitcher Jim Lonborg retaliated by nailing Tillotson in the head. Both pitchers went at it, and a brawl was started. During the fight, Sox outfielder Reggie Smith picked up and body-slammed Tillotson to the ground. Just another day in Red Sox-Yankees paradise. Next » Fan Throws Dart at Chambliss The next year, 1974, a fan at Fenway Park threw a dart at the Yankees' Chris Chambliss after a triple. Fortunately, no one was hurt. But it was a scary sign that, perhaps, the rivalry was escalating to new heights, and maybe one involving violent acts form the fans, not just between the players.

It was the source of a lot of fear and anger for players, as they wondered aloud what was next, a bullet form some crazed fan? Or perhaps, retaliation from Yankees fans? Fortunately, there were no more documented incidents involving serious weapons thrown from the stands. Tweet But the players didn't let a dart stop them from brawling. Lou Piniella went in feet first trying to score in the sixth inning, and he brawled with Fisk at home plate. The benches cleared. After the fight apparently died down and order appeared to be restored, Sox pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee and Yankee third baseman Graig Nettles exchanged words, resulting in another fight. Lee suffered a separated left shoulder and missed a significant portion of the 1976 season. He would continue to pitch until 1982, but his level of performance was not the same as it was prior to the fight. T The 1976 season resulted in a pennant for the Yankees, but they lost to the Reds in the World Series. Tweet That same season, following the massacre, the Sox fell behind the Yankees but had their own comeback and finished the season in a tie with the Yanks.

A one-game playoff was held in Boston with Ron Guidry on the mound for New York. Guidry was 24-3 on the season, but the Sox had a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh inning. However, Bucky Dent, of all people, came to the plate and slugged a three-run homer to give the Yanks a 3-2 lead. It was only the fifth home run of the season for Dent. New York held on to win the game 5-4 and end the Sox season. Yankees closer Goose Gossage was spit in the face and had beer thrown on him, and he commented that it felt like more of a playoff game than the following series. The Yankees went on to win the World Series again that year. Dave Righetti No-Hits Red Sox Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images The 1980s were the only decade when neither the Yankees nor the Red Sox won a title. Each made it to the Series but lost in New York (the Yankees lost to the Dodgers in 1981 and Boston lost to the Mets in Shea Stadium in 1986). But the rivalry had some good moments.

Included in those memorable moments was Dave Righetti's Fourth of July 1983 no-hitter vs. the Sox in Yankee Stadium. Wade Boggs struck out to end the game. This was the first no-hitter thrown by a left-hander at Yankee Stadium and the first no-hitter by a Yankee since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Next » The Boss Is Suspended Look, any news involving either team becomes fodder for the other, so the news that George Steinbrenner had been suspended (for the second time) from day-to-day operations of the Yankees is part of the rivalry between the teams. Yankees fans were happy, and Sox fans felt the turmoil could be a boost for their own team. The first time "The Boss" was suspended was in 1974 when he was indicted for making illegal campaign contributions to Richard Nixon. But this time, in 1990, baseball commissioner Fay Vincent ordered the Yankees owner to resign as a result of Steinbrenner's $40,000 payment to confessed gambler Howie Spira for damaging information about the since-traded Dave Winfield.

Later, Spira was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for attempting to extort $110,000 from the Yankees organization, but Red Sox fans didn't care. They were just happy there was dissension among the Yankees. Next » First Playoff Meeting in 1999: Game 1 In 1999, the Yankees and Red Sox faced each other for the first time in the playoffs. The Yankees were the defending World Series champions and in the midst of a run of three consecutive World Championships, while Boston had not appeared in the ALCS since 1990. Game 1 was won by the Yankees on a 10th-inning walk-off home run by Bernie Williams off Boston reliever Rod Beck. According to Wikipedia , "The game is the first actual postseason meeting between the rivals because the one-game playoff in 1978 technically counted as a regular season game." There was an intense build-up to this series. Next » First Playoff Meeting: Game 3 While the series ended up being anti-climactic, with New York winning in five games, the third game in Boston was the lone bright spot for Sox fans.

It was a much anticipated pitching matchup between Roger Clemens, the former Red Sox, and Boston ace Pedro Martinez. Through seven innings, Martinez was pitching a shutout and struck out 12 Yankees batters. Meanwhile, Clemens was hit hard, giving up five runs and only lasting into the third inning. The Sox went on to crush the Yankees 13-1. However, New York came back to win the series and advance to the World Series, where they beat the Atlanta Braves. The loss to Martinez was the Yankees only postseason loss, going 11-1. Mussina Comes Within a Strike of a Perfect Game Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images Yankees starter Mike Mussina came within one strike of pitching a perfect game against Boston in 2001. Only Carl Everett's ninth-inning single with two outs and two strikes on him separated Mussina from history. It was certainly a tense moment in the rivalry, as Sox fans would rather take a sharp stick to the eye than have a perfect game thrown at them by a New York Yankee! The Yankees went on to win the game 1-0, but Sox fans could breath a sigh of relief that Mussina's bid had been thwarted.

September 11th Tragedy Brings a Different Kind of Intensity Jim McIsaac/Getty Images The fierce rivalry between the teams temporarily resulted in a truce following the devastating September 11, 2001, attacks. Following a rain out between the teams the previous day, when games resumed, Boston fans held up signs stating "Boston loves New York." Yes, it was an intense moment in the United States and one of the most horrific tragedies ever on American soil, but even Sox fans could put aside their hatred toward New York for awhile, in honor of the heroic displays by New York police, fire fighters and other rescue personnel. However, the peace didn't last long. That offseason, Red Sox President Larry Lucchino uttered the infamous label that would stick to the Yanks to this day—"The Evil Empire." This happened after the Sox lost out on Cuban free-agent Jose Contreras to the Yankees. Tweet Both teams faced off against each other once again in the 2003 LCS. The Red Sox were the favorites, with many media members writing about a potential Sox-Chicago Cubs World Series. Game 3 at Fenway Park was particularly intense.

Pedro Martinez hit the Yankees' Karim Garcia, resulting in both benches emptying, though no punches were thrown. Then, in the bottom half of the inning, Roger Clemens threw some chin music to Manny Ramirez and the fight was on. Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer, who was the Sox manager in 1978, charged at Martinez, who grabbed the portly Zimmer by his bald head and threw him to the ground. Scenes of that fight are still shown on ESPN to this day. Later, midway through the ninth inning, Garcia and Yankee pitcher Jeff Nelson fought with a Fenway Park groundskeeper. After reviewing the incident, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig expressed his disappointment by the behavior of the participants and fined Martinez $50,000, Ramirez $25,000, Garcia $10,000 and Zimmer $5,000. Tweet In Game 7 at Yankee Stadium, Roger Clemens was ineffective, and the Sox were up 5-2 through eight innings. It looked as if they had the series in hand. Martinez gave up a run in the eighth, and Sox manager Grady Little came out to the mound.

In a decision that would ultimately cost him his job, Little elected to leave Martinez in the game. The Yankees tied the game against Martinez, and it went into extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th inning, Aaron Boone hit a homer off Tim Wakefield, giving the Yankees their 39th American League pennant. However, the Yanks went on to lose in the World Series to the Florida Marlins. Tweet This just may have been the moment that sparked the Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years when, on July 24, 2004, Sox catcher Jason Varitek smashed his glove into the face of A-Rod, and the benches cleared. Just prior to Varitek doing that, Bronson Arroyo had hit A-Rod with a pitch, and as he started fuming at the Sox starter, Varitek stepped in front of him in case he was going to charge the mound. Boston staged a comeback to win the game, which ended on a walk-off homer by Bill Mueller off Mariano Rivera. Tweet The Sox and Yankees met in the 2004 ALCS with New York winning the first three games.

No team in the history of baseball had ever won a best of seven series after being down three games to none. With the great Yankees closer Mariano Rivera entering the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 4 at Fenway, it looked to be over. But the Sox completed a highly improbable comeback from down three games to zero, taking Game 7 after winning Game 6 in the infamous Curt Schilling "bloody sock" game. Their win in Game 7 was a blowout and completed what was the biggest collapse in the history of the rivalry. Going on to win the World Series was almost anti-climactic after coming back in historic fashion to defeat the Yankees. But the Sox did win their first World Series in 86 years, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals. Sorry, Yankee fans, for ending this slideshow with the story of the collapse. But I'm sure there will be plenty of other moments in the rivalry yet to come, and anyway, no one can claim more titles than the Yankees. You may now go back to your regularly scheduled fighting. Boston Red Sox Mt. Rushmore Boston Red Sox Mt. Rushmore Boston Red Sox Mt.

Rushmore By Charlie Miller , 9/20/11, 9:50 AM EDT Red Sox Nation has many choices and arguments aplenty MLB Mt. Rushmores by Charlie Miller Major League Baseball is promoting an effort to identify the best four players in each team’s history. We selected our choices for Mt. Rushmores a few years ago. Here are updated versions for all 30 teams. Who are the four baseball players that have risen above all others for each organization? The question sounds simple, right? Not so fast. Let the arguments begin. Boston Red Sox Mt. Rushmore The overplayed drought of championships from 1918 to 2004 and the Curse of the Bambino have overshadowed what has been a very successful franchise. By 1918 the team had won five World Series and another AL pennant in 1904, a year there was no Series. Dark days followed from 1922-33 when they finished in last place in nine of 12 seasons and next-to-last in another two. But Sox fans have had much to cheer for recently.

Even going back to 1966, there have been just seven losing seasons. They have finished worse than second place just three times since 1997. The Sox have made 13 postseason appearances in the past 28 years. And since the Curse was reversed in 2004, Boston has won two more titles (2007, 2013). However, the team has won 100 games in a season only three times, the last all the way back in 1946. The famous 1978 playoff game with the Yankees would have been the Sox 100th win had Bucky Dent not shattered Boston’s championship plans. The Red Sox pose a tough test in selecting just four individuals. Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski are easy choices. The list of candidates for the last two spots is long, and filled with strong arguments. Ted Williams There is absolutely no doubt that Teddy Ballgame belongs here. The Splendid Splinter is also in the discussion for the MLB Hitters Mt. Rushmore. There may not have been a better hitter ever. His entire career was spent in Boston and was interrupted twice by stints in the U.S.

Marine Corps — first in World War II then again during the Korean War. The 10 best on-base percentages in Boston history, ranging from .479-.553, all belong to Williams. Carl Yastrzemski It isn’t easy to step into a legend’s shoes, especially at the age of 21 and a legend the size of Williams. But that’s what was asked of Yastrzemski in 1961. But 3,308 games later, Yaz had cemented his place alongside Williams as the two greatest players in Red Sox history. Yastrzemski won three batting titles, a triple crown, made 18 All-Star teams and earned seven Gold Gloves. At ages 22 and 38 he finished 18th in MVP voting. In between, he had nine finishes that high or better, including winning the award in his triple crown season of 1967. Sadly, Yaz never won a World Series, but he batted .400 and hit three home runs in the 1967 Classic and hit .310 in the 1975 Series.

Overall, he batted .369 in the postseason with 11 RBIs and 15 runs in 17 games. David Ortiz Big Papi has embodied the spirit of the Red Sox in the 2000s. Over his first five seasons with the team, he averaged .302 with 42 home runs, 128 RBIs, 105 runs and 41 doubles, and finished in the top 5 in MVP votes each year. And most importantly, the Sox won two World Series in that time, and added a third since then. He has 17 postseason home runs and owns a .455 average with 14 RBIs in 14 World Series games. Jim Rice Rice is third on the Red Sox list in hits, total bases and RBIs. He and Hank Aaron (in 1959) are the only two hitters with as many as 400 total bases in a season between 1948 and 1997. From the mid-1970s to the mid-’80s, Rice was the most feared hitter in the American League.

Close Calls Pedro Martinez spent only seven years in a Boston uniform, but he won 117 games, winning 76 percent of his decisions. He was 6-2 in the postseason, but made just one start in the World Series, tossing seven shutout innings in 2004. In those seven seasons, he won two Cy Young awards, finished second twice, third once and fourth once. You would think any player with a foul pole named for him would deserve a Mt. Rushmore honor. And Johnny Pesky remains a beloved player to fans of several generations. The Game 6 home run in 1975 by Carlton Fisk certainly is on Boston’s Mt. Rushmore of moments, but the catcher had a tough breakup and spent too much time in white socks. Third in career runs, fourth in hits and total bases, Dwight Evans was as good a rightfielder as we’ve seen since the 1970s. Cy Young has an award named for him, but fewer than 200 wins in Boston. Bobby Doerr made nine All-Star teams and drove in 100 runs six times. He missed a full season due to military service at age 27.

He played only second base in his career and wore no other uniform. From 1935 to 1947, Joe Cronin managed Lefty Grove, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr, among others, to a pennant, four second-place finishes and 10 .500 seasons or better in 13 years. Tris Speaker won the 1912 MVP in a Boston uniform. In seven full-time seasons from 1909-15, he averaged .342-6-76 with 99 runs, 34 doubles and 15 triples and a .909 OPS.

Question: The so-called “Curse of the Bambino” afflicted which team between 1918 and 2004?
Answer: Boston Red Sox