Boston Red Sox history

In 1900, Western League owner Ban Johnson declared it’s equality with the National League, the only major league in baseball. Johnson changed the name of his league to the American League. Trying to compete against the National League, Johnson placed a team in Boston and called them, the Boston Americans.

The Boston Americans began their inaugural season as one of the American League’s charter franchises. The club had a solid pitching staff led by CY Young. CY would win 33 games that first season as the Americans would finish a close second to the Chicago White Sox with a 79-57 record.

In 1902, the Boston Americans were once again in the pennant race before falling 6.5 games short while landing in third place. Cy Young again led the AL in wins with 32.

Prior to the 1903 season, the presidents of the American and National Leagues sat down and made an agreement for a post-season series between the champion of the National and American Leagues. This series would settle the World Championship of Major League Baseball. In their third season, the Americans had a strong pitching staff led by CY Young, but in 1903 he was joined by Bill Dinneen and Tom Hughes who had 20 wins a piece.

The Americans cruised to the AL Pennant in 1903 with a record of 91-47 to earn a berth in the inaugural World Series. The first World Series game was played at Huntington Avenue Grounds, and CY Young had the honor of making the first pitch. In the best of nine series, Cy Young lost the first game, but he redeemed his self in games five and seven, Bill Dinneen won game eight in shutout fashion to give the Americans the very first World Championship.

The Americans were strong again in 1904, leading the AL for most of the season. The season was highlighted by CY Young, who pitched the first perfect game in the 20th century on May 5. However, the New York Highlanders stayed close to the Americans all year and caught them on the final weekend of the season. The Highlanders were led by pitcher Jack Chesbro, who won an amazing 41 games. On the next to last game of the season, Chesbro threw a wild spitball that flew over the head of his catcher, costing the Highlanders the game and their season and giving the Americans their second straight AL pennant with a 95-59 record.

Fans who anticipated another exciting interleague postseason series were disappointed. Late in the year, John McGraw and New York owner John Brush issued a press release that called the AL a “minor league” and stated that the Giants “desired no greater glory than to win the pennant in the National League” and would refuse to meet the AL pennant winner.

After a successful season in 1904, the Americans fell to fourth place with a 78-74 record. In 1906, just three years after winning their first World Championship, the Americans finished the season in last place with a record of 49-105.

After a terrible season in 1906, the team began using their nickname that most fans and the media called them, Red Sox. The 1907 season got off to a rough start when centerfielder Chick Stahl took his own life by drinking carbolic acid. The Sox would go on to finish the season with a seventh place finish and a record of 59-90. The season would also mark the beginning of the career of Tris Speaker.

In 1908, the Red Sox would show significant improvement finishing in fifth place with a 75-79 record.

In 1909, the Red Sox showed promise by contending for the pennant before finishing in third place with a solid 88-63 record. Tris Speaker hit .309 in 143 games.

In 1910, the Red Sox signed Duffy Lewis. Along with Speaker and Harry Hooper, the Red Sox had a devastating defense that would be called Boston’s “Million Dollar Outfield” However, the Red Sox finished in fourth place with an 81-72 record.

In 1912, owner John Taylor moved his team from the Huntington Avenue Grounds to a stadium built on his own land of the Fenway section of Boston. The stadium would be named Fenway Park. On the field, the Red Sox won an American League record of 105 games. Led by Speaker, who led the AL in doubles with 53, and home runs with 10. He set a career high with 222 hits, 136 runs, 580 at-bats, and 52 steals, he also hit .383 for the season. The Red Sox won the pennant by finishing 14 games ahead of the Washington Senators.

In the 1912 World Series, Boston faced off against John McGraw’s Giants, the same team that refused to play them in 1904. The series was tied 3-3-1 going into game 8, with the Giants three out away from winning the World Series. Boston pinch hitter Clyde Engle hit a pop fly towards centerfield. Fred Snodgrass ran to the spot he thought he could catch it, but he missed it, and Engle advanced to second. Giant’s pitcher Christy Mathewson walked Steve Yerkes out of frustration. The dangerous Speaker was up next. Speaker hit a foul ball that should have been caught. Giant’s catcher Chief Meyers tried to reach the ball, but he couldn’t. Speaker then hit the next pitch to centerfield. Engle scored the tying run and Yerkes went to third. Instead of taking his tired pitcher out of the game, Giants manager let him pitch. Larry Gardener then hit a long fly ball to right field. Giant’s outfielder Josh Devore caught it, but his throw was too far of a distance for him to throw out Yerkes, as the Red Sox won their second World Series Championship.

In 1914, the Red Sox purchased Babe Ruth from the Baltimore Orioles, which was then a Minor League franchise. In his first major league action, Ruth won 2 games and lost 1 while batting .210 in 10 at-bats. The Sox would go on to finish in second place with a 91-63 record.

In 1915, the Red Sox were once again the powerhouse of the AL, winning 101 games to edge out the Detroit Tigers for the AL pennant. In Ruth’s first full season, he won 18 games and hit the first of his three home runs in his legendary career.

In the 1915 World Series, the Sox faced off against the Philadelphia Phillies. After being shut down by Grover Cleveland in game one, the Red Sox won three straight games. The Sox would fall behind early in game five, but Harry Hooper would hit two home runs including one that would put the Sox up for good and giving them their third World Series crown.

In 1916, Boston found themselves in the thick of another pennant race. Boston overcame the sale of Tris Speaker to Cleveland after a salary dispute to repeat, finishing 2 games ahead of Chicago, with a 91-63 record in the AL. The year was almost the same story as 1915 for the Sox. Their sixth-best offense was carried by an awesome pitching staff that included emerging ace Babe Ruth, who won 23 games and the ERA title at 1.75. Dutch Leonard, Rube Foster and power pitcher Carl Mays were also a part of the Sox staff that led the AL in shutouts with 24.

In the 1916 World Series, the Sox faced the Brooklyn Dodgers. Game two was the series highlight as the Sox won 2-1 in a series record 14 innings. The Red Sox won the series in five games, thanks to Babe Ruth, who pitched 13 scoreless innings, giving the Sox their second straight World Series crown and fourth overall.

In 1917, the Red Sox fell nine games short in their bid for a third straight championship with a record of 90-62. Babe Ruth won a career high in games with 24. Babe Ruth’s season was highlighted by a bizarre no-hitter on June 23 against the Senators. The Babe walked the first batter of the game and was ejected for arguing with the umpire. Ernie Shore came in and produced a double play with his first pitch and then went on to retire the next 27 batters in a row for a combined no-hitter.

With World War I raging in Europe in 1918, the season was reduced to 126 games. The Sox benefited by winning the AL pennant with a 75-51 record. The season also saw Babe Ruth spend more time in the outfield than on the pitching mound, as his 11 home runs were good enough for the lead in the AL.

In the 1918 World Series, the Red Sox faced the Chicago Cubs. In game one, Babe Ruth beat the Cubs and extended his World Series scoreless inning streak to 22 as he won 1-0. The Babe would take the mound again in game four, and would get another win. However, Babe Ruth’s scoreless inning streak would end at 29.2 innings (a record that would stand for 43 years). After losing game five, the Red Sox took advantage of a Cubs error that would give the Sox their 3rd championship in 4 years and fifth overall.

In Babe Ruth’s first full season playing in the outfield in 1919, he established a new ML record with 29 home runs. The 29 home runs by Ruth were more than any other team’s total. However, the Red Sox finished the season in sixth place, with a disappointing 66-71 record.

In 1920, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee made one of sports most famous deals. Babe Ruth’s actions on and off the field angered Boston management, so much that Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $100,000. This deal would change the two franchises forever. Prior to the deal, the Red Sox won five championships, while the Yankees had none. Since the deal, the Yankees won 26 World Series titles, while the Red Sox have won just two, creating the “Curse of the Bambino” and the deal was viewed as the start of the “Greatest Rivalry on Earth. The Red Sox finished the season in fourth place with a 72-81 record, in their first season without Babe Ruth.

During the 1920′s, the Red Sox finished in last place seven times. In 1929, the Sox closed out the decade finishing in last place for the fifth straight time with a 58-96 record.

In 1932, things couldn’t get any worse for the Red Sox, as they returned to last place with a franchise-worst record of 43-111, finishing 64 games behind the Babe Ruth led Yankees, who won their fourth championship since the fateful deal.

In 1933, 30 year-old Tom Yawkey took the reigns from the struggling franchise from Bob Quinn. In his first move, he hired Eddie Collins away from the Philadelphia A’s to become the teams vice president and general manager.

In 1934, the Sox acquired Lefty Grove from the A’s for $125, 00. Despite Grove struggling to an 8-8 record, the Sox finished in fourth place with a 76-76 record, ending a 15-year string of losing seasons.

In 1935, Joe Cronin took over as manager and guided the Red Sox to their first winning season since 1918 as they finished the season with a 78-75 record which was good enough for fourth place.

In 1936, Boston made another big deal with Philadelphia by purchasing Jimmie Foxx. However, the Red Sox finished in sixth place, with a record of 74-80.

In 1938, Jimmie Fox won his third AL MVP. Fox drove in a league leading 175 runs and nailed 50 home runs. The Red Sox finished the season with a solid record of 88-61, good enough for 2nd place.

In 1939, Ted Williams made a splash in his rookie season by batting .327 while smashing 31 home runs and driving in a league leading145 RBI, the most hit by a rookie. However, the Red Sox would fall short of first place by finishing in second place, with an 89-63 record.

In 1941, Ted Williams went into the last day of the season hitting .399, an average that officially rounds up to .400. With a .400 average safely in the record books and the Red Sox eliminated from postseason action with an 84-76 record, no one expected Williams to play in the season ending double header against the Philadelphia A’s. Williams went 4-5 with a home run in the first game to raise his average to .401. In the second game, Ted doubled and singled in three at-bats to raise his average to a blistering .406. No other player in the history of Major League Baseball has ever hit .400.

With another spectacular season by Ted Williams in 1942, the Red Sox made another run for the pennant, but would fall short again with a solid record of 93-59. Following the season, Ted Williams would enlist to fight in World War II, joining an impressive list of All-Stars who would be absent from baseball while fighting in Europe, and the Pacific.

With Ted Williams returning from flying combat missions for the Marines in the Pacific in 1946, the Red Sox were set to make a run at the AL title. Ted Williams showed no rust, hitting .328, while blasting 38 home runs and driving in 123 runs and capturing the AL MVP. Ted Williams had a poor second half of the season, due to Cleveland manager Lou Boudreau introducing the “Williams Shift” in the second game of a July doubleheader. Williams had hit three home runs in the first game, and when he came to bat in the second game, he faced a defense in which every man was stationed to the right of second base except the left fielder, who played deep short. Williams was laughing so hard he had to step out the batters box to regain his composure.

The Shift became less funny as the 1946 season wore on and other managers copied it. Williams did get a measure of revenge by clinching the AL pennant for Boston for the first time since 1918. Many teams pitched around Williams, as evidence by his 156 walks. Other players picked up the slack. Johnny Pesky and Dom DiMaggio batted over .300 and Rudy York and Bobby Doerr knocked in over 100 RBI. In the 1946 World Series, the Red Sox faced off against the St.Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals won the series in seven hard fought games.

In 1947, the Red Sox finished the year in third place with an 83-71 record. Ted Williams captured the Triple Crown, but lost the AL MVP to friendly rival Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees.

In 1948, the Red Sox featured batting champion Ted Williams, whose home run total slipped to 25, third on his own team behind Bobby Doerr’s 27 and Vern Stevenson’s 29. The Sox also had Dom DiMaggio, who hit 40 doubles and scored 127 runs, and Johnny Pesky, who was tied with Williams for third in the AL in runs. The Red Sox finished the season in a first place tie with the Cleveland Indians, with a 96-58 record. This would force a one-game playoff to be played at Fenway Park. In the end, the Indians beat the Red Sox rather easy with a score of 8-1, ending the season for Boston.

Ted Williams won his second MVP Award in 1949. Batting .343 with 150 runs, 159 RBI, and 43 home runs. Williams led all AL hitters in on-base average at .490 and slugging at .650. The Boston offense improved around Williams. Dom DiMaggio, Vern Stephens, and Johnny Pesky were third, fourth, and fifth in runs. Stephens tied Williams with 159 RBI and was second in home runs with 39. The Red Sox won 96 games and scored the most runs in the major leagues, 896, yet lost the pennant by 1 game to the Yankees.

In 1950, the Red Sox finished the season with a 94-60 record. The third-place Red Sox were paced by Vern Stephens and Rookie of the Year Walt Dropo and by Billy Goodman, who won the AL batting crown by hitting .354. Ted Williams however missed most of the second half of the season due to an All-Star Game injury, which most likely cost the Red Sox the AL flag.

In 1952, the Red Sox struggled and finished the season with a 76-78 record, ending the season in 6th place. The disappointing season was due to Ted Williams’s war duties in Korea.

In 1953, the Red Sox broke 17 major league records in a game against the Detroit Tigers, in which they scored 17 runs in one inning. The Sox sent 23 batters to the plate as the Tigers tried to stop the bleeding by using three different pitchers. The Sox had 14 hits and six walks in the record breaking seventh inning. Gene Stephens set a major league record by getting three hits in one inning. The Sox finished with 27 hits and 23 runs. All while their star Ted Williams was still in active duty fighting in the Korean War. However, Williams would return late in the season to help Boston finish in fourth place with an 84-69 record.

In his last at bat in his Hall of Fame career, Ted Williams sent 10,454 fans into frenzy when he launched a 1-1 pitch from Baltimore Orioles’ pitcher Jack Fisher high into the sky and into the Red Sox bullpen for a home run. In his customary fashion, Ted quickly circled the bases with his head down. Those who withstood the cold weather cheered wildly, trying to stir a show of emotion from the 42-year-old retiring star, but the “Splendid Splinter” kept it all inside. His last home run was number 521, and at the time of his retirement, his 521 home runs placed him third on the all-time list behind Babe Ruth and his former teammate Jimmie Foxx. The Sox still finished the 1960 season in seventh place, with a 65-89 record.

To replace Ted Williams, the Red Sox called up the talented prospect Carl Yastrzemski. Yaz didn’t quite live up to high expectations that first year, but he would go on to be a Hall of Fame player, and a Sox legend. In the first season without Ted Williams, the Red Sox finished the season with a 76-86 record.

In 1965, Carl Yastrzemski led a Red Sox team that paced the AL in home runs and slugging average. Yaz hit .312 with 45 doubles, 20 home runs, and 72 RBI. Boston nevertheless barely escaped finishing in the AL cellar when its pitchers were tagged for a circuit-high 791 runs.

After a string of 8 consecutive losing seasons, Carl Yastrzemski made the Red Sox impossible dream a reality in 1967. Ninth-place finishers a year earlier, the Sox owed much of their success to a midseason transformation that brought them pitcher Gary Bell, infielder Jerry Adair, catcher Elston Howard, and outfielder Ken Harrelson. It was however, Yaz who defined the team. His .326 season with 44 home runs and 121 RBI all led the American League, and he took both the Triple Crown and Most Valuable Player Award. The Red Sox won the AL pennant on the last day of the season by one game over Detroit and Minnesota.

In the 1967 World Series, the contest went the full seven games. In game two, Yastrzemski hit two home runs in a 5-0 win. However, the Red Sox went on to loss the series.

After Tony Conigliaro was beaned by Jack Hamilton of the Angels in 1967, many wondered if he would play again at his full potential. In 1969, he surpassed remarkable odds when he returned and batted .255 with 20 home runs and won the Comeback Player of the Year Award. The Sox still finished the season with an 87-75 record, and a distant third in the AL East.

In 1970, Conigliaro was even better as he belted 36 home runs and 116 RBI. To assist his ability to see pitches, fans sitting in the centerfield bleachers at Fenway avoided wearing light colored clothing. However, Conigliaro’s vision worsened, and again forced him to retire. He tried to make a comeback in 1975, but it failed. In the end, tragedy would strike, when at age 37, Conigliaro suffered a heart attack which left him in poor physical health, and at the age of 45 he died.

In 1975, Boston surprised everyone by finishing 4.5 games in front of the Baltimore Orioles. Rookies Fred Lynn (.331 average, 21 home runs, 105 RBI), and Jim Rice (.309 average, 22 home runs, 102 RBI) sparked the Sox, as Lynn became the first player to win both the MVP and Rookie of the Year Awards in the same season. The Sox also featured established hitters like Carl Yastrzemski and Carlton Fisk, as well as pitchers Rick Wise (19 wins), Luis Tiant (18 wins), and Bill Lee (17 wins).

In the ALCS, the Red Sox swept the defending champion Oakland A’s, which set the stage for one of the most dramatic World Series in history. Cincinnati crawled out to a three games to two lead. But the real fun didn’t start until the sixth game in Boston.

The Two teams battled into the 12th inning of game six, when Fisk, the leadoff hitter, blasted a long fly ball to left. The ball had home run distance and stayed fair, giving Fisk a home run and Boston a come-from-behind victory. After game six, many thought that was the greatest game ever played. Game seven was almost as intense. Boston jumped to a 3-0 lead, the Reds tied it in the seventh, and Morgan won it in the ninth with a run-scoring bloop single. Many feel the 1975 World Series helped spark baseball’s popularity, which soared in the late 1970′s and throughout the 1980′s.

With the Red Sox within reach of first place in 1976, the Red Sox bought Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers from the Oakland A’s for $1,000,000. However, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn ruled the deal was illegal and neither wore a Red Sox uniform in 1976. The season would end in disappointment too as the Red Sox finished a distant third with a record of 83-79.

In 1978, the Red Sox would get off to a flying start, and by the middle of the season led their division by ten games and even had a 14.5 games cushion on the New York Yankees. The lineup was even stronger than the year before as Jim Rice hit 46 home runs and drove in 139 RBI en-route to winning the AL MVP. The pitching was even better for the Sox as Dennis Eckersley won 20, and newly acquired Mike Torrez gave them a proven winner to stabilize the pitching staff. However, the Sox began to stumble as the Yankees made a final charge to defend their crown. Going into September, the Sox still had a four game lead with a four game series at Fenway Park beginning on September 7. Not only would the Sox get swept in the series, their lead in the division vanished, in each game, the Sox would get blown out, which became known as the Boston Massacre. The Sox would stay close to the Yankees, and found themselves tied for first in the division with 99 wins. This would set the stage for a one game playoff to be played at Fenway Park. The Red Sox would get off to a fast start when Carl Yastrzemski hit a home run to give the Sox an early 2-0 lead. The lead would hold up until the seventh inning, when light hitting Bucky Dent hit a three-run home run to give the Yankees the lead for good, and the AL pennant.

In 1979, AL history was made when Carl Yastrzemski hit his 3,000 career hit to become the first player in the AL to hit 400 home runs and gather 3,000 hits. The team failed to reach their greatness they achieved in 1978 despite winning 91 games.

In 1982, Wade Boggs made his major league debut on April 10. He batted .349 in his rookie year which would have won the batting title, but his 121 plate appearances were short of the required minimum of 502.

At the end of the 1983 season, millions of Red Sox fans were able to cheer on Carl Yastrzemski for the last time. Yaz was presented with a car and a boat from the Boston organization. In total, Yaz would end his career with 3,419 hits, 452 home runs, and 1,844 RBI. The Sox sunk to sixth place, with a 78-84 record despite Wade Boggs winning the batting title when he hit .361 and Jim Rice’s league leading 39 home runs and 126 RBI.

In 1984, rookie Roger Clemens made is major league debut on March 15. But in their first season without Yaz, the Sox won a respectable 84 games, but were not even a factor in the AL pennant race.

On April 29, 1986, Roger Clemens had a historic day by becoming the first player to strike out 20 batters in a nine inning major league game at Fenway Park against the Seattle Mariners. That game would symbolize both the season for Clemens and the Red Sox. Clemens would go on to dominate the AL, winning 24 games, and led the league with a 2.48 ERA. Clemens domination even shined in the All-Star Game as he took home game MVP honors. The Rocket would become the third pitcher in four years to capture both the Cy Young Award as well as MVP honors as he turned the trick in 1986. The Sox would finish the season winning the AL East pennant with a 95-66 record. Boston’s offense was led by Wade Boggs, who once again won the batting title by hitting .357. Jim Rice added 20 home runs to go along with 110 RBI while hitting .324, and Dwight Evans hit 26 home runs with 97 RBI.

In the ALCS, the Red Sox faced off against the Anaheim Angels. Anaheim had a lead of three games to one and a 5-2 advantage in the top of the ninth inning of game five when Boston designated hitter Don Baylor hit a two-run home run. Dave Henderson’s two-run home run put Boston up for good. Boston went on to win games six and seven to capture the AL pennant for the first time since 1975.

In the 1986 World Series, the Red Sox face off against the New York Mets. The Red Sox swept the first two games at Shea Stadium in New York. The Mets took the next two games at Fenway Park. Boston took game five at home. With a 3-2 series lead, Boston took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the tenth of game six. Reliever Calvin Schiraldi retired the first Mets batters. One out separated Boston from winning their first World Series title in 68 years. Gary Carter and Kevin Mitchell singled. Ray Knight bought Carter home and Mitchell went to third. Up came Mookie Wilson. Reliever Bob Stanley’s wild pitch allowed Mitchell to tie the game at five all. Wilson ended the game by sending a slow roller to first, a certain out, until Bill Buckner let it squirt through his legs. Knight raced home with the winning run. In game seven, the Mets put the Red Sox away for good with an 8-5 victory.

Although the Red Sox made an early departure from the American League pennant race in 1987, Roger Clemens continued to shine. Clemens won a league tying 20 games as he led the league in winning percentage (.690), complete games (18), and shutouts (7) that season. The Rocket’s performance earned him his second consecutive Cy Young Award that season, only the fourth pitcher ever to do so. Wade Boggs led the AL in batting average for the third year in a row with an average of .363 and had 200 hits.

In 1988, the Red Sox would get off to a slow start until coach Joe Morgan took over and replaced John McNamara in the middle of July. The Red Sox won 19 of their first 20 games under Morgan, just finishing the season 1 game ahead of the Detroit Tigers in the AL East. Wade Boggs led the league in hitting with a .366 batting average for the fourth consecutive season. And Mike Greenwell racked up a .325 average, 22 home runs, and 119 RBI. In the ALCS, the Red Sox faced off against the Oakland A’s. The Sox were no match for the A’s who swept Boston in four games.

In 1990, the Sox found themselves in another tight race for the division title beating out the Toronto Blue Jays by 2 games in the AL East despite only winning 88 games. Rocket Roger Clemens appeared headed toward his third AL CY Young Award when arm trouble sidelined him for much of September. The righty still won 21 games, two of which were back-to-back complete-game shutouts. In the ALCS, the A’s swept the Red Sox for the second straight season.

In 1991, Clemens claimed his third Cy Young Award as the Sox contended for the division again, but this time they fell seven games short with an 84-78 record, that landed them in a second place tie with the Detroit Tigers.

In 1992, the Red Sox struggled all year long as they finished the season in last place with a 73-89 record. After the season, Boston star Wade Boggs shocked the Red Sox by signing with the Yankees.

In 1993, the Sox rebounded off of their last place finish, ending the season with an 80-82 record. Mo Vaughn had a breakout season with 29 home runs and 101 RBI.

In 1995, the Red Sox surprised even their own fans by playing wonderful ball all year long, winning their division by posting an 86-58 record. In their first ever ALDS, the Red Sox faced off against the Cleveland Indians. Game one was the most exciting contest in the series. The game went into extra innings, when Tim Naehring hit a home run in the top of the 11th inning to give the Red Sox the lead. With closer Rick Aguilera coming in, all seemed safe and sound for the Sox. The first man up was Albert Belle, who after fouling off a pitch, hammered one into the stands to tie the ball game. With two outs, Tony Pena came to the plate and smashed a 3-0 pitch into the crowd to give the Indians the dramatic victory. The Indians would win games two and three to complete the sweep.

In 1996, Clemens duplicated his 1986 feat of striking out 20 Tigers in a game against Detroit. That game was the last great moment the Rocket would have in a Boston uniform. Trouble between Clemens and management resulted in a trade that sent him to Toronto after the season, in which the Sox finished the season with an 85-77 record.

To make for the loss of Clemens one year earlier, the Sox acquired Pedro Martinez from the Montreal Expos. The Sox finished the season with a 92-70 record, as they clinched a wild-card berth, to play against the Indians again in the ALDS. After a game one victory, the Tribe won three in a row to win the series.

In 1999, the Red Sox found themselves behind New York again in the AL East. To make matters worst, Roger Clemens landed a deal with the hated Yankees. However, CY Young winner Martinez dominated the AL as the Red Sox claimed the wild-card berth, facing the Indians for the third straight year. After losing the first two games, all hope was gone, but the Sox took advantage of weak pitching and won the next two games to force a decisive game five. After the insertion of Martinez in the fifth inning, the Red Sox beat the Tribe and earned their first ALCS since 1990. The Sox would get to face their old rival, New York Yankees in the ALCS. In the ALCS, the Yankees would take the first two games in the Bronx. In game three, the Sox easily beat the Yanks 13-1. However, that would be the only game the Yankees would loss in the series, as the Yankees defeated the Sox, and to add salt on the wound, Clemens won his first World Series title in New York pinstripes.

In 2002, several changes were made in the off-season as the Red Sox were sold to a group headed by John Henry. The new ownership opened their wallets and quickly signed free agents Johnny Damon and John Burkett. By time the season started, Grady Little was the Sox manager, and Boston got off to a fast start by winning 30 of their first 41 games. Derek Lowe emerged as a star in the pitching rotation, throwing a no-hitter on his way to 21 victories. The Sox season was disappointing as they finished in second place with a 93-69 record.

In 2003, the Red Sox bashed the ball all season as new acquisitions Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, and David Ortiz gave the Red Sox the most powerful lineup in baseball, as they lead the majors in several key offensive categories including RBI, and Batting Average. Not only did the Sox have a powerful offense, they had a solid starting pitching staff led by Pedro Martinez, who had a league low 2.22 ERA. The Red Sox would settle for second place but they would earn the wild-card with a record of 95-67. In the postseason, the Sox got off to a shaky start dropping the first two games to the Oakland A’s. Facing a three game sweep, the Sox kept their hopes alive when Trot Nixon hit a dramatic pinch-hit home run in the 11th inning. Facing elimination again in game four, the Sox rallied from a 4-1 deficit to even the series on a two-run double in the 8th inning. In the decisive game five, the Sox put away the A’s 4-3, to set the stage for another great Red Sox-Yankee classic match up in the ALCS. The Red Sox would draw blood first, as Tim Wakefield put away the Yankees 5-2. After the Yankees took game two, the scene shifted to Fenway Park where the fireworks really got started as the two bitter enemies nearly came to blows several times. The Yanks would go on to win the controversial game 4-3 to take a 201 series lead. The Sox would bounce back to even up the series at two games apiece in game four. In game five, the Yankees would silence the Red Sox bats behind the pitching of David Wells, to take a 3-2 lead back to the Bronx. The resilient Red Sox would tie the series with a hard fought 9-6 win. In the deciding game seven, the Sox chased Clemens early as Martinez was dominant with the Sox taking a 5-2 lead. Heading into the 8th inning, Pedro was clearly tiring as the Yanks began to get hits of him. Instead of calling on his bullpen, manager Grady Little left his ace in, and became the source of all scorn in Red Sox nation as the Yankees tied the game at 5-5. Tim Wakefield would come in to pitch in the 11th inning. On the first pitch, Aaron Boone sent the ball into the stands to give the Yankees the game and the series. Following their loss, manager Grady Little was fired, and the Sox would acquire Curt Schilling from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In 2004, just as Spring Training had started, it seemed the Red Sox were upstaged by the Yankees when they acquired third baseman Alex Rodriguez after the Red Sox pursued him all winter. As July arrived, the Yankees were pulling away as the Red Sox found themselves down by 10 games as they headed into a crucial weekend series in Boston. The Yanks would grab the first one. In game two, they were trailing when frustrated pitcher Bronson Arroyo hit Alex Rodriguez with a pitch, as A-Rod yelled at Arroyo, catcher Jason Varitek stepped in and laid down the law as the Red Sox and Yankees exchanged punches in a bench clearing brawl, the rivalry was at its best. The brawl seemed to awaken the Sox, as they rallied to win the game 11-10. At the trade deadline, the Red Sox, who were hampered by errors throughout the season, acquired Doug Mientkiewics to provide late inning defense. With a 98-64 record, the Sox earned another wild-card berth for the second straight season, thanks to Curt Schilling, who posted a 21-6 record in his first year in Boston. In the ALDS, the Sox took care of the Anaheim Angels in three games. That set the stage for one of the most bizarre ALCS in baseball history,

Against the Yankees, things would not be easy, as they dropped the first two games on the road. Things looked even worse as Curt Schilling, who pitched hurt all season, had tore tendons in his ankle, and was putting doubt into weather he could take the mound again. The Yankees to a commanding 3-0 victory with a dominating 19-8 win. The Red Sox who battled all year long with the Yankees were one game away from being beat by the old nemeses again. No team in baseball history had come from a 3-0 deficit, and this was the Yankees and Red Sox, knowing the “curse”, many thought the series was over. In game four, the deathwatch was on as the Sox trailed 4-3 entering the ninth, when the Sox rallied to win the game. New life had entered the Red Sox, as they won the next two games to send the series back to the Bronx. In game six, which was dubbed the “Bloody Sock Game” Curt Schilling took the mound with his tendons stitched to his ankles as blood was visible through his sock, as the Sox would hold on to a 4-2 win, becoming the first team to force a game seven after trailing the series 3-0. In game seven, the Sox took 86 years of frustration out on the Yankees, as they blew the Yanks out, winning 10-3 to advance to the World Series for the first time since 1986, and becoming the first team in major league baseball to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the series.

In the 2004 World Series, the Red Sox faced off against the St.Louis Cardinals, a team that had beat the Sox twice in the Fall Classic. Game one provided all the sparks as the Red Sox won 11-9 in an exciting game that saw the Red Sox jump out to a 7-2 lead only to see the Cardinals battle back to tie it twice, before Mark Bellhorn gave the Sox the lead for good with a two-run home run in the 8th inning to give the Red Sox the lead for good. In game three, it was Pedro Martinez who was dominant, with 7 shutout innings as the Sox established a 3-0 series lead. On the night of game four, on October 27, there was a lunar eclipse. This time it was Derek Lowe who pitched 7 shutout innings, as the Red Sox were getting closer and closer to reaching their destination. In the ninth inning closer Keith Foulke would finish a 3-0 win by fielding a hit from Edgar Renteriea, as Boston ended the ”Curse of Bambino”, by winning their first World Series since 1918. Manny Ramirez was the series MVP as he batted .412.

After winning their first World Series title in 86 years, their was an understandable sense of euphoria surrounding Red Sox nation. The Red Sox would finish the season with a 95-67 record, which placed them in the wild-card slot again. In the postseason, the Sox faced off against the Chicago White Sox, a team that was trying to end its own World Series drought. The Red Sox would not come close to a World Series repeat they were swept in three games. The White Sox would go on to win their first World Series title since 1917.

In 2007, manager Terry Francona vowed that his team would “stay in the moment”. By keeping their tunnel vision intact all season. The Red Sox took over first place on April 18, and never looked back. Unlike the ’04 champs, which was a veteran-lead team, this Boston club had the perfect mix of youngsters, core players in their prime and grizzled veterans. Two rookies, Dustin Pedroia and Jacob Ellsbury came up large not only in the regular season, but in October. Josh Beckett, the 27-year-old ace, took his game to another level, as he won a team high 20 wins. Jonathan Papelbon was one of the best closers in baseball as he saved 37 games. David Ortiz (.322 average, 35 home runs, and 52 RBI) Manny Ramirez showed the baseball world why they are one of baseballs feared 1-2 punch. The Red Sox finished the season with a 96-66 record. In the ALDS, the Sox swept the Angels and advanced to the ALCS to face the Cleveland Indians. Down 3-1, the Red Sox faced their biggest test of character of the season. They put the ball in Beckett’s hands in game five in front of a hostile crowd in Cleveland, and came away with the most crucial game of the year. Back at Fenway for games six and seven, the Sox beat the Indians, and rolled into their second World Series in three years. In the World Series, the Red Sox swept the Colorado Rockies to become the first team to win two championships in the new millennium.