As a child growing up 45 minutes from Boston, it was easy for me to love the Red Sox and hate the Yankees.
Growing up during the 90s was especially hard. The “Curse of the Bambino” was in full effect.
Many fans were relentless and did not think that the Sox would ever win a championship. It would have been easy to give up on the Red Sox but “give up” has never been in the vocabulary of a Red Sox fan.
In 2001 the rivalry changed forever. The Red Sox decided that in order to beat the Yankees they had to become the Yankees. They could not be competitive if the Yankees maintained the highest payroll and Boston did not increase theirs. This started with the signing of Manny Ramirez and it looked as if Boston actually had a solid team.
That year was also the first time that baseball saw an unbalanced schedule. This caused the Red Sox to face the Yankees at least 17 times a season which increased the hatred that Red Sox Nation had immensely.
The addition of Ramirez was still not enough and the Red Sox failed to reach the playoffs until 2003. That season the Sox faced New York in the ALCS. The best thing that happened during that series for a Boston fan was the huge brawl at the pitcher’s mound between the two teams. I will never forget Pedro Martinez throwing Don Zimmerman to the ground. That is probably the best symbol of the rivalry.
The Red Sox were in New York for game seven and led for most of the game until the Yankees tied it late, bringing the game into extra innings. Aaron Boone ended up hitting a walk off home run in the bottom of the 11th ending the promising season. I was so devastated that I did not go to school the next day or watch Sportscenter for three months.
It felt like an eternity had passed before the 2004 season began, making it the longest off-season of my life.
The two teams ended up meeting in the ALCS again and it looked as if New York was going to steamroll into the World Series.That was until Dave Roberts had an amazing steal of second and Bill Mueller hit him home.
The Red Sox ended up winning that game then tying the series at 3 games apiece. Curt Schilling pitched with his bloody sock and Johnny Damon, my generation’s biggest traitor hit a huge grand slam and Boston went on to win that series.
It was the biggest win I had ever seen as a Red Sox fan.
They went on to sweep the Cardinals in the World Series. I will never forget hearing Joe Buck say “The Boston Red Sox are World Champions”. Those might actually be the only words that came out of Buck’s mouth that I have ever enjoyed.
Ramirez became my favorite player and his sign at the parade may be the reason. It read “Jeter is playing golf today”.
The two teams are still at the top of the payroll rankings and although it is something that I am not proud of, it’s something you cannot blame Boston for. They are just countering what New York started and until there is a salary cap in baseball, both teams will continue to be at the top.
I do not care if the Yankees “GOT RINGS”. I would never in a million years think about giving up on the Red Sox and that is the major difference between a Red Sox fan and a Yankees fan… GOT SELLOUTS?
Joe Beaudoin can be reached at jbeaudoin@spartans.ut.edu.