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      Originally formed in 1893, as a Toledo, Ohio team in the then Western Minor League. When it turned into the American League in 1900, the franchise relocated to Boston and changed their name to the Americans in 1901. The next year in 1902, their name was changed to the Somersets, and again in 1903 they changed to the Americans. In 1907, the Americans, after winning the first World Series ever over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1903, changed their name to the Boston Red Sox, and it has remained that way for almost a century. The long, rich, yet disappointing story of the Red Sox has made them one of the most historical and well-known teams in baseball.      The franchise had championships in 1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, and 1918. Led by players such as Denton True “Cy” Young, Tris Speaker, and George Herman “Babe” Ruth, the Red Sox were one of the early dominant teams of the 20th century. The Red Sox won American League Championships in 1903, 1904, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1918, 1946, 1967, 1975, and 1986. However, as has been previously stated, the last championship came almost a century ago. The Sox have come quite close many times over the past 90 or so years, but never have been able to add a World Series championship.Many speculations have been made as to the reason for their misfortune, however the most commonly known is the Curse of the Bambino. In 1914, the team’s manager, Joseph Lannin, signed Babe Ruth and Ruth led them to World Series titles in 1915, 1916, and 1918. However, in 1919, the team’s new manager, Harry Frazee, traded Ruth to the New York Yankees. The reason prompting this trade is still ambiguous. It was originally thought to be so Frazee could pay for his Broadway production, “No, No Nanette,” but now it is believed that the trade was so he could pay for previous expenses of his failing Broadway productions. The Sox have not won a World Series since Ruth stood on the mound at Fenway Park. This absence has become known as “The Curse of the Bambino.”

Many times has the alleged (and proving to be real) curse reared its ugly head. In 1967, the Impossible Dream season in which Carl “Yaz” Yastrzemski led the Sox from the worst team in the AL to the World Series, the curse took on the form of Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals. Yaz and the boys couldn’t overcome the dominating pitching of the masterful Gibson in game seven, and in 1967 as well as 1946, the Red Sox lost the World Series to the Cardinals in game 7.

Again, in 1975, the Sox were aided by Carlton “Pudge” Fisk’s 12 inning homerun in the sixth game of the World Series. The ball was hit right down the left field line, 35,000 fans on their feet, Fisk was flapping at the ball on his way to first. After what seemed like ages, the ball hit the foul pole and Boston and New England erupted. The field was charged and Fisk shoved people out of the way on his way home. That hit is one of the most fantastic finishes in sports of all time. However, once again, the Curse rose to the surface and struck. The Red Sox held a 3 run lead for most of the game, and in the later innings, the bullpen coughed it up, and, once again, the Red Sox lost the World Series in the seventh game, this time, however to the Red Machine of the Cincinatti Reds, led by Pete Rose.

Yet the most crushing loss in Red Sox history came on October 25, 1986. Yes, this is Bill Buckner the play. The Red Sox found themselves in game six of the World Series. And, for the fourth consecutive time, the curse would reign its terror once more. In the bottom of the tenth inning, after squandering their lead for the third time in the game. A runner on second, two outs, and Mookie Wilson at the plate. Wilson fouled off over 10 pitches, and then, hit a dribbling grounder down the first base line. The runner took off speeding, and Buckner had made this play thousands of times in his life, in that season: get the ball, tag first, move on. Yet, the ball rolled right under his glove, into right field, allowing the winning run to score. However, contrary to common belief, although the Red Sox would have gotten the victory, this did not end the series, instead, it found Boston in a game seven in for the fourth consective time, in which the Mets were victorious and the Red Sox had their dreams crushed once again.

More recently, and to no surprise, the long lived and tantalizing curse destroyed New England once again. In the ALCS of 2003, the Red Sox held a 5-2 lead, with one out and nobody on. Pedro Martinez was on the mound for the Sox at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. It looked like the Sox would do the impossible: beat the Yankees in game seven of the ALCS in New York. Yes, it certainly looked that way to me, sitting in my living room, feeling the glee of victory. However, after giving up a single with Hideki Matsui stepping up to the plate (Matsui was hitting quite well against Martinez that year) I was sure the manager would pull Martinez for Scott Williamson. The pull pen had done poorly that year, yet had become a strong suit in the post season. However, the curse came around as if on que that year in the form Grady Little, the manager. Little vied to stay with Martinez, and Matsui hammered a run scoring double into the right field corner. I was sure Little would pull Martinez after that, the Sox still held a 5-3 lead, and the game could be salvaged. Instead, Little elected to keep Martinez in, the next batter smashed another double and the lead was diminished to 1 run. I was SURE that Little would take Martinez out now with Jorge Posada stepping into the box, it was just common sense. Yet, Martinez stayed on that mound, and Posada knocked another run in and the game was tied. The curse was present twice that night and in the bottom of the 12th, Aaron Boone hit a game and series winning home run off starter Tim Wakefield, propelling the Yankees past the sox and into a world series that they thankfully lost.

Retired numbers of the Red Sox are:

#4 Joe Cronin, Retired on May 29, 1984
#9 Ted Williams, Retired on May 29, 1984
#1 Bobby Doerr, Retired on May 21, 1988
#8 Carl Yastrzemski, Retired on August 6, 1989
#27 Carlton Fisk, Retired on September 4th, 2000

The Red Sox requirements for retired numbers are:

To be entered into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown
To have played at least 10 years with the Red Sox
To finish their career with the Red Sox

Many great players have played for the Red Sox, including Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, just to name a few. The fans of the Red Sox may very well be the most loyal of any in baseball, with all the let-downs and disappointments. Still, Fenway is sold out many games during the regular season. New seats have been and are being added to Fenway and that historical ballpark, first opened in 1912 still does and hopefully will always be the home of the Boston Red Sox, cursed, some may say, but hey, anyone can have a bad century.