13 years ago today...

BoSox Rule

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Rivera blew the 2001 World Series with a throw to second
I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but I still believe that Rivera through a middle-middle pitch expecting Mueller to bunt (he'd showed bunt the previous pitch). Rivera was one of the better fielding pitchers and was banking on gunning Roberts out at third a la 2001 WS.

Maybe it's BS, but Rivera didn't throw that many pitches that stayed that flat. I still think he was expecting a hard bunt right back to him and then a quick gun to third for the first out. With Roberts out, he'dve attacked Mueller, who'd showed that he could hit Rivera so who knows
 

snowmanny

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Rivera blew saves in 4 clinch games in series the Yankees eventually lost. Game 4 of 97 ALDS vs Cleveland, Games 4&5 of 2004 ALCS, and Game 7 2001 WS. Bum.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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MYRTLE BEACH!!!!
I'm still convinced that if Jeter had caught the ball properly (at the bag rather than reaching for it) Roberts would have been out.

View attachment 18012
Posada's throw would have tied him up if he let it travel, but you can't see it from your pic. Here's a look. If he drops it on the bag like Christian would have, history might be different.
Tag.jpg
 

bob burda

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Rivera blew the 2001 World Series with a throw to second
Not to hijack the thread, but NO - Rivera blew the 2001 WS by giving up a line drive double down the RF line to Tony F'ing Womack - a judy who in that day should not have been able to get a ball out of the infield against him.

And not just that either - Mo allowed a lead off line drive base hit to Grace, and after the errant throw (which would not have started a double play) he gets a force at 3rd on the next bunt. At that point the inning is almost back under control, but then he gives up the double to Womack (!) to tie the game. An HBP then precedes the cheapie single to Gonzalez for the win - basically the worst hit ball off him that inning. He had struck out the side in the 8th, but in the 9th, except for sawing off Gonzalez, he put in an otherwise execrable performance.
 

pk1627

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2004 is the antidote to Every. Bad. Outcome. It’s not quite the miracle of my wife deciding I’m the guy she marries, but make no mistake - it’s a miracle.

I changed into my robe after the Sox batted in the 8th. Mariano had disposed of the heart of the order. And watched in my robe as they tied it, and eventually won. Same thing the next day. Robe at the end of game 6. I went to Game 7 and wore my robe under my clothes.

I love that robe.
 

uk_sox_fan

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Rivera blew saves in 4 clinch games in series the Yankees eventually lost. Game 4 of 97 ALDS vs Cleveland, Games 4&5 of 2004 ALCS, and Game 7 2001 WS. Bum.
To be fair his BS in Game 5 was a sac fly to Varitek when he came in facing 1st and 3rd (Roberts) with no out and a 1-run lead. Though to the start the next inning he did give up a lead-off single to a 1 for 22 Johnny Damon.
 

Yo La Tengo

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Posada's throw would have tied him up if he let it travel, but you can't see it from your pic. Here's a look. If he drops it on the bag like Christian would have, history might be different.
View attachment 18038
Due to the joy it brings me, I've compulsively watched and rewatched every angle of that replay that I'm aware of (and it still makes me smile). And, while I agree that the throw was slightly to the SS side of the bag, and high, I do believe that if Jeter had caught the throw over the bag and then dropped his glove it would have been a much closer play, and they may have got the out. A better throw would have definitely got him.
 

brs3

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I had graduated from UMass that spring, but had friends still out there, so I watched the 19-8 game amidst a party. It was so bad, we just laughed at the ridiculousness of it. 19 runs! I went home and watched game 4 in a local bar. It was empty, which wasn't surprising on a Sunday, but to give a sense of how down everybody was..there was no one else there. When the Sox tied it up in the 9th and the inning ended, the bar shut off the TVs and turned up the lights. I had to go home to watch the rest of the game. Obviously that bar didn't see me the rest of the postseason and rarely since. I got home and my dad was watching The Virginian or some other old western show. I was relegated to the basement, watching the rest of game 4 and then the rest of the ALCS because obviously they won the ALCS because I was sitting in my parents basement.

I half joke that 2004 made me a nicer person overall.
 

bosockboy

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I was completely distraught and pacing and ended up two rooms away from the TV and finally watched the end of that at bat in a mirror. because I couldn't bear to look directly at what was about to happen.

The next day I said to someone that I felt like I had a lottery ticket and had hit the first five numbers and was just waiting on the last one.

It's so good I can't even say for sure that I'd change any of the awful season-ending heartbreaks that preceded it because that would diminish the precious.
Foulke smiling and yelling “gotta make it interesting!” after he fanned Clark was when I knew that team was different. He had “it.”
 

bosockboy

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I was the scariest AB I have ever witnessed. Game 4 it was: "Ok, we get one more". Game 5 was "Maybe there is a chance". Game 6, 9th inning, two men on base, Foulke having nothing, Tony Clark batting, short porch beckoming it was "I can't accept that we came this far and may lose it on this AB" That K was one of the most exciting moments in my life. Woke up my entire house.
I’ve also often wondered if Games 6 and 7 were reversed with a blowout in Game 6 and Foulke/Clark in Game 7 if I would have actually blacked out. Somewhat serious.
 

canyoubelieveit

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Rivera blew saves in 4 clinch games in series the Yankees eventually lost. Game 4 of 97 ALDS vs Cleveland, Games 4&5 of 2004 ALCS, and Game 7 2001 WS. Bum.
One of my favorite stat lines is Mariano Rivera's performance against us in the 2004 ALCS, when we "owned" him:

7IP 6H 1R 1ER 2BB 6K 1.29 ERA

We got the best of him in game 4, and I was incredibly relieved when Varitek managed to hit the sac fly in game 5, but he was still very, very good.
 
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chrisfont9

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If there was replay back then, we would have been sweating that shit out during a 5 minute review
Huh, I had it in my mind that there was replay back then, but of course there was not. Reason is that game 6, which was absolutely defined by two overturned calls, but both were overturned by the umpires gathering to discuss things, including the Bellhorn HR where the LF ump made a big show of how sure he was that it was not a home run, and the ARod slappy play, where the 1B ump pretty quickly switched to "I think I'd better ask my colleagues" mode.
 

Oil Can Dan

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I’ve also often wondered if Games 6 and 7 were reversed with a blowout in Game 6 and Foulke/Clark in Game 7 if I would have actually blacked out. Somewhat serious.
Holy shit. I can’t imagine how that would have played out for me. Wow.
 

trekfan55

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I’ve also often wondered if Games 6 and 7 were reversed with a blowout in Game 6 and Foulke/Clark in Game 7 if I would have actually blacked out. Somewhat serious.
Pretty sure there are some of us who wouldn't survive it.

One of my favorite stat lines is Mariano Rivera's performance against us in the 2004 ALCS, when we "owned" him:

7IP 6H 1R 1ER 2BB 6K 1.29 ERA

We got the best of him in game 4, and I was incredibly relieved when Varitek managed to hit the sac fly in game 5, but he was still very, very good.
Yeah, Rivera was pretty good, he actually shut down the heart of the order in the 8th in Game 4, and after the walk, SB, and hit by Mueller, the winning run did not come across.

Game 5 was not him, the fact that Varitek elevated a SF against him should not count as a blown save. And again, one out, runner at 1st, no run scores, and then no one scored in the 9th.

Plus he was an absolute class act when they introduced him op opening day 2005.
 

Oil Can Dan

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Does anyone have any thoughts on why Wake was put in to Game 3 when he was supposed to be the Game 4 SP? Game 3 was unwinnable at the time, and Francona had theoretically chosen Wake over Lowe for the playoff rotation for a reason. Yet he chose to burn his must-win Game 4 SP in an unwinnable game 3 rather than his SP that had been banished to the pen, thus making that banished pitcher the Game 4 SP.

Obviously fist pumps to Tito for all of the awesome decisions, including this one, that he made that postseason. I honestly believe that had he gone left instead or right once that it doesn’t happen, but I’ve always wondered what the rationale was on this.
 

trekfan55

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It is my understanding that Wakefield went to Tito and volunteered to give up his start to eat innings.

Why he wasn't overruled and Lowe sent to the mound is another story.
 

judyb

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Wasn't it still 6-6 when Wake was warming up and Leskanic gave up a 3 run HR to make it 9-6? Remember the Red Sox scored a lot of runs early in that game, too, I'm sure it didn't seem unwinnable to Tito until Wake was in and made it worse.
 

HowBoutDemSox

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Watching Game 6 right now. The slappy mcbluelips play, boy does that bring back memories.
The NYPD riot cops deploying in foul territory after O-Cab beat out the double play and staying out there for the half inning is one of the more surreal sporting moments I can remember.
 

budcrew08

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I'm watching the Four Days in October doc, something that my wife and I will do at least a couple times this winter. I love this thread and all your memories.
 

HowBoutDemSox

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It was a lunar eclipse that night; I like to say the stars were literally aligned for the team that year.
 

Remagellan

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When the game ended I remember falling to my knees and crying and then popping a small bottle of champagne given to me by a MFY fan I worked with after the ALCS. When he gave it to me, I told him I would wait and drink it after the Sox won the World Series. He quipped, “Given your team’s history, maybe you should drink it now.” Like that whole postseason, it was worth the wait.
 

Skiponzo

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Second best day of my life (I don't have kids, and even if I did...)
I have 2 kids, and a beautiful loving wife. I love them to death, would do anything for them and have experienced more joy at their hands than one person could ever hope for....October 27, 2004 was still the single best day of my life. Not sure what that says about me, but it's true.

When the game ended I remember falling to my knees and crying and then popping a small bottle of champagne given to me by a MFY fan I worked with after the ALCS. When he gave it to me, I told him I would wait and drink it after the Sox won the World Series. He quipped, “Given your team’s history, maybe you should drink it now.” Like that whole postseason, it was worth the wait.
My oldest was 1.5 years old and in the next room sleeping. When Foulke threw to first I jumped up ready to release 25 years of frustration but somewhere in the back of my head I knew I'd wake him.....so I ran. Out the backdoor, over the fence, up the street, in the rain for about 3/4 mile all the while yelling "They did it!".

Like the rest of you it still affects me to this day. In fact it's pretty dusty in here as I type this. 2004 is the gift that never, ever stops giving.
 

pedro1918

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Shortly after October 27, 2004 I purchased two "Boston Red Sox - 2004 World Series Champions" bumper stickers. I immediately stuck one on my car. On Tuesday of this past week I got the call from my car guy. I could fix my wonderful, old 1999 Saturn, with a washed up 2004 bumper sticker, but it would cost me a couple of thousand bucks. I told him to forget it. This car is done.

When I got off the phone, I walked into my home office and opened the top draw on my desk. There it was. Either Saturday or Sunday of this weekend the other bumper sticker I bought 13 years ago will be affixed to the back of a new car.

2007 and 2013 were great. Actually better than great. But 2004 is, and always will be, on another level. I might search e-bay for a third sticker.
 
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Larry Gardner

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I was living in the Milwaukee area, and a vendor offered me a free ticket to Game 4 on October 27th. No way could I have attended that game, since I was still riddled with guilt from putting a tape in the VCR in the 10th inning in game 6 in '86. Was sure that if I went to the game, that no way would we have won...
 

hoothehoo

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Was it the last post of the Win It For thread that said something like "I just went outside and looked at the moon"?

Well. I just went outside and looked at the moon. With a little champagne.
 

Al Zarilla

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I was living in the Milwaukee area, and a vendor offered me a free ticket to Game 4 on October 27th. No way could I have attended that game, since I was still riddled with guilt from putting a tape in the VCR in the 10th inning in game 6 in '86. Was sure that if I went to the game, that no way would we have won...
I’ve got the full game 6, ‘86 somewhere in the house, which of course I never watched and wouldn’t have a VCR anymore anywhere anyway. After fucking Boone in 2003 I became one of the people that figured, that’s it, I’ll die with no Sox title ever in my lifetime. Now it’s up to 3 titles. Lead us to more-a, Cora.
 

The Filthy One

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I was living in Iowa City at the time, and I remember cracking a bottle of champagne and just laughing. That was all I could do, I just kept laughing. This morning, my daughter was looking at an old photo album from that era and in it, there's a picture of me, posed next to my old TV, and on that TV is Johnny Damon being interviewed after Game 4 in St. Louis. Still makes me laugh.
 

tims4wins

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I had a much bigger reaction to beating the MFY in the ALCS than I did when the WS ended. I was an emotional wreck at the end of the MFY series. I balled uncontrollably for like five minutes. At the end of the WS, I just sat back, contently, and enjoyed the celebration.
 
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Bergs

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Cylinder of my father's ashes in one hand, bottle of champagne in the other, weeping uncontrollably. No moment will ever be that moment, none will ever surpass that moment.
 

Savin Hillbilly

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The wrong side of the bridge....
I had a much bigger to beating the MFY in the ALCS than I did when the WS ended. I was an emotional wreck at the end of the MFY series. I balled uncontrollably for like five minutes. At the end of the WS, I just sat back, contently, and enjoyed the celebration.
Congratulations; I don't think I would have lasted as long under the circumstances.
 

glasspusher

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Watched Eyechart squeeze the last out with my 6 year old son in my lap. Watched the eclipse during commercials (you might think I enjoy astronomy from my avatar- you would be correct). When I got the December issue of Sky and Telescope in the mail, they're based in Mass, they had eclipse photos with folks writing "GO SOX" with their flashlights in time exposures. 2004, the gift that keeps giving!
 

pokey_reese

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I was at the Harp in Amherst, and the owner and staff just started handing out/spraying everyone down with champagne out on the back porch, under the scarecrow wearing a Jeter jersey that had been impaled off the side of the roof with an arrow, just hugging everyone within reach. Probably still the purest moment of joy I can remember, and I got married a month ago.
 

hurst86mvp

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I was 16 in '86 and blew off a promising Sat PM party so I could be home to see the Sox finally (ha) win with my old man. This was Game 6. When the ball rolled through BB's legs, he shook his head, turned the TV off, leaving me in the dark, where I sat, stupefied for a while.

We watched Boone crush our spirit, together, in '03.

We watched Game 7 of the '04 ALCS in the same living room, and ditto Game 4, 13 years ago, tonight (wow).

But my favorite memory was after Game 2 of the WS: we happened to be up at Martha's Vineyard, and at the same bar we've watched so many games over the years (and where we happened to be, again, for Game 4 in '07 WS). After a tense but beautiful game one win, after game 2, the crowd had thinned out, and there were only about a half dozen people in there. The bartender, without a word and no drama, just pulled out a bottle of champagne, poured off some for everyone, and we silently toasted. It wasn't cocky, or --trust me, unduly presumptuous-- but there was just this feeling, at that point: this team ain't losing again. Everyone in the bar felt it. And it was this unspoken spirit of solidarity, a fever breaking, demons being exorcised, history finally happening for us. It wasn't a premature celebration so much as a nod toward the inevitable.
 

canyoubelieveit

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My older brother and I grew up diehard, broken-hearted Red Sox fans. 13 years ago today I was working a moonlighting shift in California, he was in Boston, and he held his phone up to the radio so I could hear Joe Castiglione make the final call (which included the famous phrase that became my avatar name).
 

DaggettInDixie

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In the fall of 2004 I was teaching English in Warsaw, Poland, and following the Red Sox avidly as I have all my life. Because the games were in the middle of the night, I had to do my lesson plans, grab a few hours sleep, then go to an internet café to watch on MLB-TV. Remember early MLB-TV? The picture was grainy and low-res, and there were no commercials. The between-innings interludes were filled by a Super Mario Brothers clip that was maddening when you’d seen it hundreds of times.

The café was always crowded with young people spending the night playing video games. At first the old chap in the baseball cap with the B on it, occasionally cheering or groaning, was a curious presence to them, but as the post-season wore on they got used to me.

Late in Game Four of the ALCS my eruption turned some heads when Mueller singled home Roberts to tie the game, then they really gawked as I yelled and fist-pumped when Papi’s homer won it. But I little thought Boston would come all the way back. Then, thrillingly, they did. I think a lot of people were like me: I would have been satisfied with the ALCS win over the Yankees.

After the first two games of the World Series, which we won despite making FOUR errors in both games, I made up my mind our luck had finally turned for good. In preparation, I bought a big, expensive Cuban cigar. When Foulk tossed the ball to Mientkiewicz and the long drought was over, I was actually pretty controlled: no shouting, just a profound relief and satisfaction.

I bought beer for everybody in the internet café, went out and lit my Havana cigar, and puffed and strolled the pre-dawn streets of Warsaw, one of the myriad happy citizens of Red Sox Nation.

Later, in class, I tried to explain to my students how happy I was, how much it all meant to me. I don’t think it fully registered with them. The best analogy I could come up with was: Poland beats Germany to win the World Cup final. By now I’m sure they’ve all forgotten. But I haven’t, and never will.



I grew up in Maine; saw my first game at Fenway in 1953. My father lived his whole life without celebrating a Red Sox World Series championship. We shared it all, all those years: the dreary 50’s, the high of ’67 which foretokened better things to come, the excruciating losses in ’75, ’78, ’86 and 2003. How I wish we could have shared 2004 as well… (I’m a long-time lurker; this is my first post.)
 

pokey_reese

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I grew up in Maine; saw my first game at Fenway in 1953. My father lived his whole life without celebrating a Red Sox World Series championship. We shared it all, all those years: the dreary 50’s, the high of ’67 which foretokened better things to come, the excruciating losses in ’75, ’78, ’86 and 2003. How I wish we could have shared 2004 as well… (I’m a long-time lurker; this is my first post.)
Welcome home.
 

fineyoungarm

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I do wish some folks would be more candid and drop the ""the only more important day/better day/thing/event in my life is when my wife agreed to marry me/actually did marry me/ my first (or any) child was born". Baloney.