So one must live far far under a rock to not be aware of THE RIVALRY. Don't ask which, for there is no rivalry greater than the one that exists between the BOSTON RED SOX and the NEW YORK YANKEES. A rivalry to big that is has long surpassed baseball, Jets fans hate the Patriots and vice versa, the Celtics and Bruins are also outstanding enemies of NY sports fans, but that's not it the rivalry has torn families, cities and states apart.
I myself am a blood traitor as a fan of all things BOSTON and the METS. My father's biggest disappoint wasn't that he never had any sons, but that his only sports loving daughter as a matter of fact the only true sports fan out of all my cousins, chose to become a BOSTON fan. I think he would have accepted me being a Boston fan the same way most METS fans are Red Sox fans. However that wasn't the case. As a product of 86, the Sox have been deeply ingrained in my personal history. My first baseball game surely by g-d's great master plan and not in any way my father's happened to be METS v RED SOX, as the years went on and my daddy tried to get me to fall in love with football I turned my back on his beloved Giants and not even for the Jets which he would have accepted, but for the NE Patriots, and so became my total and complete fascination for NE/ Boston Teams.
I for one blame my history teachers, for if they hadn't made the TEA PARTY and the Witch Trails seem so cool, Boston would be just another city with historical stuff like DC and (gag) Philly (gag).
So here's my history lesson to you:
The Yankee Red Sox Rivalry is the oldest and strongest Rivarly in all of Sports history. Spanning more than 100 years, it's NOT only about Babe Ruth, he's just factor. Many Yankee fans blame the rivalry on jealousy as the Yanks have numerically been the more successful team 26 world series titles compared to 7 for the Red Sox. But like I said before this has everything to do with HISTORY, even before this country was formed the hence before there was major league baseball, the cities of NY and Boston already shared a rivalry, much of which had to do with economic success during the nation's early years.
Then baseball got involved; the RED SOX won the first WORLD SERIES title in 1903. All went well for the Sox until, they were sold in 1916, and after the 1919 season the Sox new owner sold 16 players to the Yankees, including BABE RUTH.
1918 was the last year the Red Sox would see a World Series title until 2004, and the beginning of the CURSE OF THE BAMBINO.
During this 86 year long curse, the Red Sox only won 4 pennant titles compared to 39 Yankee Pennants. Each W.S. that the Sox lost was played up until the 7th game. Adding insult to injury the Red Sox finished 12 seasons just behind the Yankees including 1998- 2003 and almost 2004.
1978 saw a revival of the BOSTON Massacre this time at the hands of the Yankees and not the Brits. During which the Sox lost a once 14.5 game lead to the Yankees during a 4 game series in which the Yankees score a combined total of 42–9. Ultimately both teams were forced into a once game tie breaker for the playoffs, a game NY won.
For 86 year the Yankees enjoyed the luxury of being on winning side of the rivalry, and in 2004 the rivalry took a turn for the worst. Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling sported a "Yankee hater" hat, and A-Rod and Jason Varitek even found them self in a bench-clearing brawl. In SOXtober, the two teams met again this time for the ALCS for the 2 straight year. The Yanks won the first 3 games with a poetic 3rd game victory of 19-8 (last Sox ws 1918), no team had ever comeback after being down 3-0 in 7 game series, Red Sox fans were just about ready to hang their hats for the season until Fenway was struck by lightening (figuratively) and the Sox came back to win the extra inning game 4, and the extra inning game 5, game 6 with Schilling's bloody sox and finally winning game 7, and sweeping the WS leaving a nasty taste in NY's mouth for a change.
2005: Gary Sheffield cost a RSN a season ticket holder after the fan was involved in a fight with the Yankee Outfielder. Both teams finished with identical records; however.
2007: Sox win the series again, this time a full sweep through the alcs and WS.
2008: During construction of the Yankees new stadium, a true Red Sox Nation member buried an Ortiz Jersey in the stadium (see earlier post), although it did not last, the "curse" allowed the Red Sox to clinched their playoff and eliminate the Yankees from the postseason.
During the stadium's constructions Red Sox President Larry Lucchino, the same man who named the Yankees the "Evil Empire" said "There's some that want to build the 8th wonder of the world, we just want to preserve one that already exists."
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