theme of the week.
Because I'm a Red Sox fan, the fact that my favorite baseball memory occurred in October 2004 should surprise absolutely no one.
That month was just magical. A sweep of the Angels in the ALDS. Down 3-0 to the Yankees in the ALCS, down by one run, with the best closer in baseball history on the mound. And somehow they prevailed. Not only that, but as soon as Bill Mueller knocked in Dave Roberts with the game-tying run, something happened, and the Red Sox were unstoppable. Everything went their way. Favorable bounces, umpire reviews ... everything. In any other year, the umpires would not have reviewed Mark Bellhorn's "double" and overruled it (correctly) to a home run. Or Alex Rodriguez knocking the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's hand. Any other year, he would have been standing on second base, Jeter would have scored, and it would have been a one-run game with one out in the eighth inning of Game 6. But this was 2004, so the correct call was made; A-Rod was out on interference, Jeter had to come back to first base.
But even after that, the Yankees had chances. They had the winning run at the plate with two outs against Keith Foulke in the ninth inning. A home run would have won the pennant for New York. But this was 2004, so Foulke struck out Tony Clark to force Game 7. Which, once it started, was never in doubt. First team in baseball history to rally back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
And really, the World Series was almost an afterthought. Game 1 was competitive, but after that, the Red Sox clearly had the advantage and it showed with a four-game sweep. World Series Champions.
I remember sitting on the floor in front of the TV as Foulke snared Renteria's come-backer, and just staring. My entire family was over, and as the players poured onto the field, the room erupted in hugs and champagne and phone calls, but I couldn't join in. I just stared, in disbelief that it was actually happening. And then I turned around and looked behind me, at my grandfather. He, having been born in 1924, had never seen this before, either. And he looked happier than I'd ever seen him look. He had a huge, huge grin on his face, and he would tell me later that - honestly? He never thought he'd live to see it.
I'm so glad he did. He passed away in January 2006, and this is my most lasting memory of him. The look on his face after the Red Sox did the impossible.
Almost all of "Red Sox Nation" (at least those that have been watching long enough) would say their favorite baseball memory was the '04 World Series, and it is mine. But mine was for a special reason; a personal reason. A reason that somehow had nothing and everything to do with baseball.
That month was just magical. A sweep of the Angels in the ALDS. Down 3-0 to the Yankees in the ALCS, down by one run, with the best closer in baseball history on the mound. And somehow they prevailed. Not only that, but as soon as Bill Mueller knocked in Dave Roberts with the game-tying run, something happened, and the Red Sox were unstoppable. Everything went their way. Favorable bounces, umpire reviews ... everything. In any other year, the umpires would not have reviewed Mark Bellhorn's "double" and overruled it (correctly) to a home run. Or Alex Rodriguez knocking the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's hand. Any other year, he would have been standing on second base, Jeter would have scored, and it would have been a one-run game with one out in the eighth inning of Game 6. But this was 2004, so the correct call was made; A-Rod was out on interference, Jeter had to come back to first base.
But even after that, the Yankees had chances. They had the winning run at the plate with two outs against Keith Foulke in the ninth inning. A home run would have won the pennant for New York. But this was 2004, so Foulke struck out Tony Clark to force Game 7. Which, once it started, was never in doubt. First team in baseball history to rally back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
And really, the World Series was almost an afterthought. Game 1 was competitive, but after that, the Red Sox clearly had the advantage and it showed with a four-game sweep. World Series Champions.
I remember sitting on the floor in front of the TV as Foulke snared Renteria's come-backer, and just staring. My entire family was over, and as the players poured onto the field, the room erupted in hugs and champagne and phone calls, but I couldn't join in. I just stared, in disbelief that it was actually happening. And then I turned around and looked behind me, at my grandfather. He, having been born in 1924, had never seen this before, either. And he looked happier than I'd ever seen him look. He had a huge, huge grin on his face, and he would tell me later that - honestly? He never thought he'd live to see it.
I'm so glad he did. He passed away in January 2006, and this is my most lasting memory of him. The look on his face after the Red Sox did the impossible.
Almost all of "Red Sox Nation" (at least those that have been watching long enough) would say their favorite baseball memory was the '04 World Series, and it is mine. But mine was for a special reason; a personal reason. A reason that somehow had nothing and everything to do with baseball.