Sox-Yanks Rivalry Is Still Exciting

I had not attended a Yankee-Red Sox game at Fenway Park since the 2004 ACLS, when I saw David Ortiz hit his "walk-off," game-winning single in Game Five.

So, on this past Tuesday night, June 9th, when my father and I took our seats near home plate, it was good to feel that old electricity in the air that comes only when these two teams meet. Even the light rain didn't diminish the anticipation and fun.

The game itself could not have unfolded more pleasingly: Josh Beckett, who often struggles a bit vs. the Bombers, shut them down for six innings. Big Papi, mired in his worst slump ever, belted a home run to centerfield. Daniel Bard, the Sox' stud rookie reliever, came in and blew the ball by the heart of the Yankee line-up to nail down the win in the 9th. The Sox won 7-0 and the Yankees got only a total of two hits.

That's a very rare thing for the Yankees to manage only two hits! We Red Sox fans, who have suffered through so many drubbings from the Yankees, know we must enjoy these "high" moments when we can.

As I sat at Fenway Tuesday, I felt a special appreciation for all the enjoyment I've gotten from watching Red Sox -Yankee games in my life, but, particularly in the past ten years or so.
So many of the games have been close, tense and exciting. Players on both teams have risen to the occasion. There really is nothing like this rivalry left in sports, in my view.

When I watched Derek Jeter swing a bat in the on-deck circle right in front of me, I thought about how I've loved rooting against this guy for so long. Jeter, in my view, is the best everyday baseball player I've ever seen. The guy has always - always - come through in the clutch -- in the biggest moments, late in the game, and, against tough pitchers. I dread it when Jeter comes to the plate, but, at the same time, his talent and cocky aura keep the game more interesting.
When I saw Jeter and Yanks' catcher Jorge Posada during the game, and then, closer Mariano Rivera, in his post-game walk in from the bullpen, it hit me that these three guys - who I've rooted against for so long - will not be around too much longer.


Don't get me wrong here. I hate the Yankees, but, the intensity of my feelings is directly related to the great players on their team and the extent of pain they've inflicted on me & all of Red Sox Nation. Their teams are always "stacked" with All-Stars -- which, automatically, makes you want them to lose. It's natural to root against a team that almost always has an advantage in talent, but, I've wondered, why do I hate the Yankees SO much? On many occasions in recent years, I've felt a certain glee upon merely learning that the Yankees lost their game on any given night. The Yankees, to me, have symbolized certain, large forces that I resist such as: the Status Quo, conventionality, bullies, having to go to work, or, paying your bills. In fact, sometimes I call the Yankees "The Bankers" because their style of winning has, at times, seemed passionless and businesslike. Maybe, I've joked, they should play the games in gray-flannelled suits.

Just recalling a few of my own personal experiences of this rivalry illustrates its uniqueness.
As a little kid, I saw Mantle and Maris play one game, but it wasn't until years later, as a Boston University student, when I witnessed a "legendary" game between these rivals.

I recall standing in front of the Cask'n Flagon on Oct. 4, 1978, a half-hour before the start of the historic, one-game playoff game between the Sox and Yankees. (later known as "The Bucky Dent Game.") Ticket scalpers were milling around the crowd. I've never held on to a four Sox tickets for my life as I did then. A friend asked me to show him the tickets. I declined, saying I didn't want to take them out of my pocket with scalpers nearby. The atmosphere was intense for every pitch of that game. I remember the "high" I felt, early in the game, when Yaz smashed a line-drive home run off Ron Guidry, the Yankees' ace, who finished with a remarkable 25-3 record that year. To me, it felt like a great omen, a message to the evil Bombers. The game went back and forth, and, then, I'll never forget watching Yaz step to the plate with two outs in the last of the ninth inning, two men on base and the Yankees ahead 5 - 4.
The whole season was on the line and it wasn't hard to fantasize about Yaz smashing a line drive hit that knocked in two runs to win the game. He so deserved that moment to cap his Red Sox career. At that moment, though, Yankee closer Rich Gossage's "live" fastball moved in on Yaz too quickly and he popped up to end the game.

We were among the last fans - literally - to leave Fenway Park that day. We sat in shock, devastated, and, I remember it really did take a LONG time to get over that game.

Years passed without the rivalry peaking as it did until Pedro Martinez arrived on the Sox. First, there was Pedro's masterpiece one-hitter - with 17 strikeouts - against the Yanks in September, 1999. It came against that great Yankee lineup that won the World Series that year. I was so frustrated that night because I was able to see only Pedro's last few strikeouts after having to drive all night, to, of all places, my then-mother-in-law's house. It still bugs me that I didn't see that Pedro game live. (Pedro was my favorite player ever)

Speaking of Pedro, he was linked to other incredible Sox-Yanks playoff moments. First, in Game 3 of the ACLS in 2003, after pitching poorly for a few innings and growing increasingly frustreated, in the top of the 4th, Pedro threw a pitch that went behind Yankee Karim Garcia's head. To some, it looked deliberate, and it stirred immediate controversy. Later, when Roger Clemens threw a pitch inside to Manny Ramirez, both benches emptied and, when Yankee coach , 72-year-old Don Zimmer lunged toward Martinez, Pedro threw Zimmer to the ground - not hard, but to avoid him. Then, back on the mound, amazingly, Pedro suddenly found his good stuff and pitched well for a couple of innings before leaving the game.

In Game 7 of that same ACLS, Pedro pitched superbly for seven innings and the Sox had a 5-3 lead and everyone expected Grady Little to take Pedro out of the game. But, No..........Little left Pedro in in the 8th, the Yankees rallied and Aaron Boone hit the game-winning home run off Tim Wakefield to win the series and dash the hopes of the Red Sox. One thing I'll always associate with that tragic loss is that, the next day at work, I attended an education conference, and many of the attendees were still feeling the after-effects. Attendees sat through a speech, and, then, at the first coffee break, a whole group of people, suddenly, began spontaneous venting toward Grady Little for his mistake the night before. It was the kind of moment when I appreciate being a Red Sox fan in New England. There are always enthusiastic fans nearby.

It felt like the cumulative "last straw" for Red Sox fans - like we'd been hit when we were already down. The only consolation: It set up things, beautifully, for 2004.

What a year that was. Nomar was, shockingly. traded. There was the signature game when Varitek started a fight with Alex Rodriguez, emptying the benches before Bill Mueller hit a game-winning home run to win it for the Sox. That was a good omen for that season.

I know some will disagree with this, but, I believe NOT ENOUGH has been made of the 2004 ACLS Red Sox comeback! I think it is one of those events that truly - truly - warranted any and all attention it received - and more. Why? First, you had the backdrop of the Sox not winning a World Series for 86 years and their longtime battles with the Yanks. Then, after the Sox went down 0 - 3, and, things looked completely hopeless, the Red Sox not only "came back" but they did so with three DRAMATIC wins in a row - first, the two extra-inning, tense, comeback games on back-to-back nights won by David Ortiz' game-winning hits, then, the heroic performance of Curt Schilling in Game Six, pitching with a bad ankle. (The "Bloody Sock" game) It culminated with the Sox, looking relaxed and cocky, blowing out the Bombers in Game 7 in New York. It was called "the greatest comeback in sports history" for all sports. I agree and want to see more books written about it.

After 2004, I worried that the rivalry's dynamics might become less exciting, but, in fact, there have been numerous terrific Sox-Yanks games in the past few years. In fact, as I write this Thursday night, I just watched the Sox win another amazinig comeback against the Pinstripes. These two teams just keep putting on a show.

So, as this 2009 season moves to summer, I look forward to the games ahead between these two teams. Even if they're anticlimatic from this point on, the Red Sox and Yankees have already provided me a lifetime of memories.

I cannot believe we've won eight games in a row against the Yankees this year. It feels too good to be true. Surely, there are more exciting struggles ahead with the Bombers. I hope so.