Baseball’s oldest rivalry started in 1918 when the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees, which would ultimately start the “Curse of the Bambino.” What was once a Red Sox nation, soon fell to the Yankee dynasty, as New York would dominate the baseball world thereafter.
For 86 years, the Red Sox would struggle under the curse, and the Yankees enjoyed a fruitful existence. However, this rivalry hit full throttle in the new millennium.
These two American League East powerhouses were constantly battling for the pennant but the Yankees usually took the division title, and the Red Sox had to settle with the wild card.
The Boston - New York rivalry would begin its climb to the top of the mainstream circuit in 2003 when they met in the ALCS, but, it was a bench clearing brawl that was the highlight of this series.
2003 ALCS: Pedro Martinez vs. Don Zimmer
Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez was involved in the most bizarre baseball fights of all-time. In the fourth inning of game three of the American League Championship Series, Pedro Martinez hit Yankees' batter Karim Garcia. The next play, Garcia slid hard into Red Sox second baseman Todd Walker, which prompted both benches to clear, but, the umps settled the situation before anything escalated.
At the bottom of the inning the umps warned Yankees pitcher Roger Clemons about pitching inside, however, Clemons ignored these warning. Instead, a pitch came up and in on Red Sox batter Manny Rameriz, which lead to Manny charging the mound. Again, benches cleared, but this time things got ugly.
73- year old Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer jogged onto the field and made a bee-line for Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez. When Pedro saw Zimmer charging at him he threw his arms out to block the blows coming his way, which then knocked the Yankees bench boss to the ground.
The league fined Martinez $50,000 and Zimmer $5,000 for their involvement in the melee. The New York Yankees went on to win the 2003 American League Championship that year in seven games.
The Yankees dynasty managed to hold the Red Sox nation at bay year after year, but in 2004 the rivalry took an interesting turn.
2004 American League Championship Series
Marred by on-field brawls and off-the-field war of words, the Yankees were looking to sweep the Red Sox in the ALCS.
The Red Sox would use extra-inning heroics and solid performances from their pitching staff and offensive bats to climb back in the series. Silence overtook what was once a deafening atmosphere at old Yankee Stadium as the Boston Red Sox did the unthinkable and defeated the New York Yankees 10-3 on October 20th, 2004.
For the first time in Major League Baseball history, a team that was trailing 0-3 in a best of seven league championship series came back and won four straight games to advance, and later on, win the World Series.
“The Curse of the Bambino” was broken after an 86-year drought of not winning a World Series. The Red Sox would then win two titles in four years (2004, 2007).
What Does Hank Steinbrenner Think of the Boston Red Sox - Yankees Rivalry?
New York Yankees co-owner, Hank Steinbrenner was interviewed by ESPN in February 2008. His comments added more fuel to the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.
“The Red Sox nation? What a bunch of **** that is. That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans. Go anywhere in America and you won’t see Red Sox hats and jackets, you’ll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We’re going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order."
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