Watching the longest post-season baseball game in history last night, I really found myself enjoying it. It’s been many years since I’ve really followed a professional sport closely — I usually tune in only when the Giants or 49ers are in their respective championships — but this year I’ve found myself becoming a Boston Red Sox fan. Ditto for Jen.
And we have Justin to blame.
Our friend Justin is a diehard Sox fan. He saw the final regular season game against the Yankees this season, and sat front row in the Green Monster. I’m beginning to see the appeal.
Of course, there’s the mystery of the team: The Curse of the Bambino, which has prevented the Sox from winning a World Series since 1918, when Babe Ruth was traded to the Yanks. But the appeal of the team is more than that.
The Red Sox are the underdogs; they’re the working man’s team who plays hard, then inevitably blows it at season’s end. It’s frustrating and hard work cheering for the Sox, but it’s oh-so satisfying when they pull ahead in the bottom of the 9th and win it with a homer in the 12th. Or when they do pretty much the same thing, but in 14 innings, like they did last night.
We’ll see what happens in tonight’s game, which could send the Yankees to the World Series or could put the Sox in the record books for making what’s got to be one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Either way, it’s exciting.
As for those Yankees, you might think that, as a New Yorker, I’d be a fan, so what gives? Sure, I’ve been to some games at Yankee Stadium in my day, but the Yankees are such an easy team to like. They always win. They buy the best players.
It’s time for someone else to share the love and win the Series.
The fan base in this part of New York — 3 hours from New York City and 3 hours from Boston — seems to be evenly split between the Sox and the Yanks, but somehow we’ve managed to find ourselves surrounded by Sox fans. Not only Justin, but Sarah, Joe, Ken… the list goes on. Thanks, guys, for sucking us in and showing us the joy of rooting for this oh-so frustrating and nail-biting team.
5 responses so far ↓
1 Joe // Oct 19, 2004 at 12:34 pm
For the record, if the Sox come back to WIN the series from three games down, it would be the only time in MLB history that that has happened. I wouldn’t put money on it though. Winning four games in a row is tough, especially when your starting pitcher has a bum ankle and you’re playing in the Bronx…and you’re the Red Sox.
Really, man, why choose to be miserable every October? Run, don’t walk, from Fenway’s depressing doors….
😉
2 Shrey // Oct 19, 2004 at 1:16 pm
“The Red Sox are the underdogs; they’re the working man’s team who plays hard, then inevitably blows it at season’s end.”
More people picked the red sox to win the world series this year than the yankees. So i’m not sure you can call them underdogs. And don’t forget that the red sox have the second highest payroll in MLB. Yes they are a working mans team, but the team itself doesn’t necesarily fit that model. As for inevitably blowing it, history has countless examples, but it’s gotta change at some point. Right???
3 Sarah // Oct 19, 2004 at 2:22 pm
Since the A’s blew the division lead I’ll join you in a cheer… Let’s Go RedSox….. As a matter of fact I may even have to cheer for an NL (shudder) team. I’ve got to root for anyone but the Yanks.
4 Justin // Oct 19, 2004 at 3:00 pm
Being that I feel responsible for tempting my friends to join the Job-ian existence of a Red Sox fan I will add my two cents.
Rooting for the Yankees to win is like:
rooting for the sun to rise.
rooting for your electricity to be on when you get home from work.
rooting for the tax deadline to be April 15th.
Who cares? They are expected to win. I went to school in Boston and I was only allowed to Fenway Park when I was younger so I have kind of earned my bucky “f’in” dents. I would much rather cheer on the impossible than root for the inevitable and that is why one day, somehow, some way the Red Sox are going to take their little rebel force, find their Luke Skywalker and blow up the f’in death star. It is our destiny. I might not be alive to see it, but I’m going to play my little role as the extra on planet Hoth who gets blown away every time the “Empire Strikes Back” and like it.
5 dan // Oct 19, 2004 at 4:33 pm
Hey Gabe-
A wise child once asked:
“Dad, if they call it the World Series, why is it always played in the Bronx?”
– Dan