Time for a good memory.
Seven years ago tonight, the Red Sox beat the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series, completing the most historical comeback in baseball history and punching their ticket for a World Series trip. Â Prior to game 7 of this series, no team in Major League Baseball had ever come back from being down three games to none in a playoff series. To beat the Yankees, the Red Sox had to win four games consecutively and did, beginning with the extra-inning game 4 in Boston.
The self-proclaimed “idiots” followed that up by sweeping the St Louis Cardinals in the World Series, so the team actually went on to win eight games in a row after losing the first three to the Yankees in the ALCS.
At the time, Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar told the media the team had “shocked the world” and they did. Â Fox Sports, at one point in the ALCS, showed a WebMD graphic, usually reserved to explain sports injuries, to depict a person choking to describe the downfall of the Red Sox. Â Captured for posterity on the official DVD of the Red Sox 2004 season is Boston Globe reporter Dan Shaughnessy telling Millar before game 4 of the ALCS that the team was an “embarrassment”. Â While many had the Red Sox taking the ALCS from the Yankees, that came before the team lost the first three games. Â Games that included pitchers Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling both losing their starts and a memorable game 3 where the Red Sox lost 19-8.
For many fans, the Red Sox beating the Yankees to go to the World Series broke the fabled Curse of the Bambino. Â Watching the Red Sox celebrate in Yankee Stadium erased (or at least softened) so many bad memories. Â As General Manager Theo Epstein put it when asked after game 7 how he felt not only as the GM but also as a Red Sox fan:
“I’m just thinking of all those great Red Sox teams that never quite could beat the Yankees. Â The ’49 team, Williams, Doerr, DiMaggio, Pesky…this is for you guys. Â The ’78 team, our team last year…we got it done, now we’re going to the World Series and going to get that one done.”
And they did. Â All beginning with beating the Yankees in seven games in October 2004.
For Boston Red Sox fans, the waters are rough right now, but nothing that goes on during this off-season will erase how amazing the team made the fans feel seven years ago today.
(Originally published on Examiner.com)