« Game Four | Main | No Joy Without a Little Sadness »

October 27, 2004

This Is Next Year

I never really followed baseball closely as a kid. Worse, when I was young, I followed the (gasp) Yankees. It wasn't until October 1986 that I discovered the Boston Red Sox. We were visiting my Dad's father in Maine. On the way back, we stopped at my Uncle Hank's, as he lived only a few miles down the road from my grandfather. Hank invited us in to watch the Red Sox' last game of the season. They were down to the California Angels, three games to one, and losing in the late innings of Game Five. We sat down in front of the television and watched Dave Henderson almost singlehandedly drag Boston to victory and keep the Series alive. Boston would go on to win the last two games at home for their first World Series appearance since 1975, and the first one in my experience. The World Series opened my eyes to the wonders of baseball. I was on the edge of my seat during Game Six. When Dave Henderson hit a sacrifice fly to put the Sox up by a run in the top of the tenth, I was certain Boston was going to win. Hendu had carried the Sox all through the postseason; it was only right he drive in the winning run tonight. And I watched Calvin Schiraldi suffer a nervous breakdown on the mound, and Bob Stanley allow the tying run to score, and poor Bill Buckner let a grounder eat him alive. Boston would drop Game Seven as well, but at the time I had no sense of history. I knew the Sox would be back. Sure enough, they won the AL East again in 1988 and again in 1990, but both times Oakland swept them out of the playoffs. I lived and died with the Sox in 1992 when they made up eleven games on Toronto down the stretch, but fell short because Toronto had an 11 1/2 game lead. The pain only grew worse when the Sox reached the playoffs again in 1995 to see Cleveland sweep them aside. In 1998 the Sox finally broke their postseason losing streak, but still went down in the Division Series. Then, 1999. Boston lost the first two games of the Division Series, with Pedro Martinez going down injured, and it looked like Cleveland would steamroller them yet again. But Boston managed to pull out a win in Game Three before putting up 23 runs in Game Four to even the Series. The teams kept the slugging going in Game Five until the fourth inning, when Pedro Martinez stepped out of the Boston bullpen. Pedro shut down the Indians the rest of the way, alloting them precisely zero hits through six innings while Cleveland would twice intentionally walk Nomar to pitch to Troy O'Leary and Troy would twice blast home runs to give Boston all the runs they would need. Boston was back in the ALCS for the first time since 1990. Thanks to some lousy calls, Boston dropped the first two games to the Yankees, but Game Three would be one for the ages: Roger Clemens back in Boston against Pedro Martinez. Pedro was brilliant, while Roger got bombed, but that was the high-water mark for the Sox, as New York won the next two to take the Series. Boston then slipped, missing the postseason the next three years before a triumphant return in 2003. Once again, Boston lost the first two games of the ALDS, this time to Oakland, and if not for two incredibly stupid baserunning plays by the Oakland runners in Game Three, Oakland would have completed the sweep. Instead Boston won the game on Trot Nixon's extra innings home run. Boston would beat Keith Foulke to win Game Four, and Derek Lowe would end Game Five with the tying and winning runs on base in Game Five. Boston was heading back to the ALCS, and once again they would face the Yankees. Boston took Game One in Yankee Stadium, but New York won the ugly Game Two against Pedro. New York would win two of three in Boston and was ready to close out the Series in Game Six, but Boston struggled back and forced Game Seven. Pedro should have been the hero of Game Seven, and I skipped my class to watch Game Seven in the hope I'd see Boston finally return to the World Series. Boston knocked Clemens around yet again, but Joe Torre was smart and hooked him early. Mussina shut Boston down the rest of the way, but after seven innings Boston led 5-2, and Timlin/Embree/Williamson had been lights out throughout the ALCS. Amanda turned to me and asked if we should go out somewhere for dinner to celebrate the Red Sox victory. I declined to answer, but I believed that it was a good idea. Then Pedro came out for the eighth. No big deal. Let him go until he gives up a baserunner, then bring in Timlin. Pedro got the first batter, but Derek Jeter hit an opposite field double and Grady Little came to the mound to get Pedro. Amanda and I nodded; yep, pat him on the butt and tell him good job and let's give this lead to the bullpen. Little turned around and walked back to the Boston dugout, leaving Pedro in the game, and Amanda and I watched in disbelief as the Yankees pushed three runs across. Only with the score tied did Little finally drag himself back to the mound, too late. Boston would keep it tied through the tenth, but, well, you all know what happened in the eleventh. I was crushed. I had really believed Boston was going to win that game, and they'd blown it not because New York outplayed them, but because they outmanaged them. It was painful, and watching the Yankees lose the World Series didn't really help. Boston had blown their best chance in years. Then they failed to get A-Rod (a blessing in disguise, as it turns out), but they did sign Schilling and Foulke in the offseason. But when New York signed A-Rod, and Boston lost Nixon and Garciaparra in spring training, it looked like it would be another long season. Instead, Boston started strong, taking five of the first six from New York and getting out to an early lead in the AL East. Then, three months of .500 ball punctuated by the trade of icon Nomar Garciaparra. The Sox took about a week to get over that, and then they caught fire. New York's lead was too great for Boston to overcome, although Francona's poor managing was a factor there as he recreated the ALCS nightmare in the infamous "Daddy" game. Still, Boston made the playoffs for the second year in a row, and despite their Wild Card status, an examination of the teams in the playoffs showed Boston to be the class of the AL. They looked like it against Anaheim, giving fans a scare in Game Three by giving up the lead but holding on to sweep Anaheim on Ortiz's home run. But New York ran roughshod over Boston in the first three games, thanks in part to Curt Schilling's injury, and it was clear this wasn't going to be Boston's year either. I was in the field at JRTC, I hadn't seen any of the first three games, and I was hoping Boston could win Game Four just so that I could actually see a game of the ALCS. Trailing going into the ninth, Boston tied the score against Mariano Rivera before David Ortiz stepped up to crush a ball in the twelvth inning to keep the Sox alive. Game Five was even harder to watch, as Pedro couldn't hold a lead and Boston had to earn back two against Tom Gordon and Rivera. Boston's bullpen managed to hold off the Yankees for six innings, although they never made it look easy, and once again David Ortiz drove in the winning run for Boston. I would be in the field for Game Six, and once again I just wanted one more chance to see my team play this year. Schilling pulled off the miracle, and Boston had done the unthinkable, forcing a Game Seven. And while I greatly enjoyed Game Seven, it was somewhat anticlimactic after the tension of Games Four, Five, and Six. Boston had made up for their disastrous 2003 loss with a comeback for the ages. Still, St. Louis is a very good team. I told friends that I would be happy with that comeback, but they knew I was lying. If Boston couldn't win it all, the ALCS would be a consolation prize, nothing more. At least I would be able to watch the games. And as the Red Sox crushed the Cardinals, I haven't known what to think. In 1986, I didn't know Boston's history of futility. Over the past five years, I've been all-too-aware of it, culminating in the horror of last year's Game Seven. When Boston fell behind New York 3-0, it was obvious they were done. I still haven't full processed that win. Winning the World Series, as important as it is, seems almost anticlimactic, given how easy Boston has made it appear. But in the ninth inning, it all becomes very real. 86 years of futility. My father is 64 years old, and he's never seen this. Maybe we'll never see it again. But today, the Boston Red Sox are World Champions. I'm shaking in my chair. This is beyond unbelievable. One out away from being swept in the ALCS, Boston has done it all. No more 'wait 'til next year,' baby. This is next year. 1918 my ass!

Posted at October 27, 2004 09:43 PM

Andrew Olmsted

Comment policy

I apologize for only allowing authenticated commenters, but comment spam overwhelms the site if I don't use those measures to prevent it. I reserve the right to delete any comment, although generally comments will only be deleted due to use of profanity or personal attacks on people. I have no objection to vigorous argument, but when name-calling begins, I'm putting a stop to it. In the immortal words of Eugene Levy, "People, people, let's stop this before somebody says something untrue!" If you want to call people names, I recommend you get your own blog.

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://andrewolmsted.com/mt/pings.cgi/801

Comments

Fantastic commentary. I had the feeling before last nights game that if the sox couldn't win the fourth game they could wind up losing the series. And yet, I was relaxed throughout the game. I knew they were finally going to redeem 86 years of worse than futility. Even after they removed Lowe, who deserves whatever high pay he gets next year, I knew the bull pen could get it done. After more than fifty years as a Red Sox fan it was almost unbelievable that they would actually do it. I can't imagine what it was like for those who have waited longer than I have. Schilling said it best when he said this win was for all the former Sox who went through so much and deserved so much more. I have to believe that somewhere Teddy Baseball is finally smiling.

Posted by: dad at October 28, 2004 09:25 AM

Anyone taking any bets on Pedro wearing pinstripes next year? Money talks &c

And can Buckner finally get out of the witness protection program and show his face?

At last we can stop hearing about 'da curse' but I guess that this means the cubbies start whining even louder...

Go Mets...just sayin

Posted by: JSAllison at October 28, 2004 02:09 PM

You followed the Yankees?? Do I know you?

While we're sharing our Red Sox memories, when I was a child I used to go to Fenway to watch the games with my grandmother, uncle, and cousins. It was always a great time. We got to see Yaz hit his 300th homerun. We were almost always on the left side, so we had a great view of Jim Rice picking the grass. Those Fenway franks were great when they had been steaming in foil for who knows how many hours. When my grandmother immigrated from Canada she became a devoted fan of the Red Sox and the Celtics. Unfortunately she didn't live to see the Red Sox win the World Series.

While my grandmother started my interest in the Red Sox, I didn't become really crazy until I married Andy. He couldn't watch most of those Yankees games, so I was sure to watch every one for him. Game 3 was really ugly. Thank you Wakefield for taking one for the team. I was excited when they tied Game 4. It was getting pretty late and I had to go to work the next morning, so I turned out the lights and watched the game in bed. I started to doze off. The next thing I was aware of was looking up to see #34 crossing home plate. It was a beautiful sight. After another long, stressful Game 5 I noticed there were some behaviors I had performed during those 2 games. I repeated those behaviors for each of the following games and the Red Sox won all those games. It is amazing that you can get so wrapped up in a team that you perform superstitious rituals in order to will them into winning.

So Enrak, are you going to the Red Sox parade tomorrow?

How awesome would it be to go to openning day at Fenway and watch them hang the banner in front of the Yankees?

Posted by: Andy's wife, Amanda at October 28, 2004 03:20 PM

Heh. I was actually going to poke some fun and remind you about your signed Yankee's baseball. The one with Willie Randolph and *gasp* Bucky Dent! The Boston Globe just ran an article showing how local kids were growing up Yankees fans. I think that is about to change.

I remember that trip to Maine as well. I remember listening to one game on the radio in the van.

I shall be attending the parade tommorrow. If you watch it on TV, I'll be the one wearing the Red Sox hat.

I'm going to try to get tickets to opening game as well. Of course, so is everyone in Boston so we'll see.

Posted by: Enrak at October 29, 2004 05:46 AM

Enjoy the parade, Enrak. I shall remain, as always, insanely jealous.

As for the Yankees, I was young, we were living not far from New York, and I was rebelling against Dad. When I was young and foolish, I was young and foolish. What else can I say?

Posted by: Andrew at October 29, 2004 05:59 AM

I don't think anyone would question your Red Sox bona fides. When I was young my favorite movie was Red Dawn! Wait a minute...it still is!

WOLVERINES!!!!!

Posted by: Enrak at October 29, 2004 08:51 AM

Are you planning to take photos of the parade? If so, we'd like to see them.

Be safe.

Posted by: Amanda at October 29, 2004 12:28 PM

Congrats andy and eric I am happy that your red sox finally did it...

Posted by: Catherine little sister at October 29, 2004 01:33 PM

Post a comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


Remember me?