For those New Englanders who believe in the notion of a Red Sox Nation, July 24 must be considered the culture’s independence day.
From a symbolic standpoint, it was five years ago today that Red Sox history altered irrevocably. On July 24, 2004, the Red Sox claimed perhaps the most important regular-season win in franchise history.
The 11-10 victory over the Yankees that day marked not merely a reversal in the standings, but also a change in the culture and psychology of rivals. As such, the slideshow can be recalled with little effort.
A water-soaked field. A hit batter. An angry superstar. A protective catcher. A glove to the face. Benches and bullpens empty. On-field chaos.
A Yankees lead. A Red Sox comeback. A dominating closer. A game-winning homer.
A compelling case can be made that the game between the Red Sox and Yankees that day forever altered the dynamic of the two teams. If not for the fight between Alex Rodriguez and Jason Varitek and the subsequent Boston comeback that culminated in Bill Mueller’s walkoff two-run homer, there are those who believe that the Sox might still be counting the decades since they won the World Series.
“It was movie script like, really,” recalled Curt Schilling. “That game injected a HUGE amount of momentum. You come to the park different every day for the rest of the season. Many times it’s not immediate, but it has huge impact, and that carried into October for us.”
THE PRELUDE
It came as something of a surprise that the game assumed that sort of significance. The Sox were not supposed to require a jolt of life for their season in late July.
The team endured a startling end to its 2003 season, losing to the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS when Aaron Boone hit a walkoff homer off of Tim Wakefield. That series – which followed a remarkably competitive, nip-and-tuck season between the longtime rivals – escalated tensions between the clubs, most notably, when a bench-clearing fracas in Game 3 featured pitcher Pedro Martinez tossing Yankees coach Don Zimmer to the ground.
“The fight in 2003 with Zimmer and Pedro and all of that, that heightened it to the point where we really didn’t like the Yankees,” recalled former Sox outfielder Gabe Kapler, now with the Tampa Bay Rays. “It was an overall sense that was building, maybe from that point to Aaron Boone’s walkoff to the beginning of 2004 and maybe carrying all through 2004…In 2003 and 2004, I think we hated them and they hated us. That was one of the most important parts, and in some ways one of the most enjoyable parts, of being on that team.”
The Sox quickly tended to their offseason wounds. Manager Grady Little was fired, replaced by Terry Francona. Curt Schilling was brought in to turn the rotation into a force. Keith Foulke was brought aboard to serve as the closer that the team lacked in ’03.
The Red Sox appeared loaded, and their start in 2004 – a best-in-baseball 15-6 record through the end of April – did nothing to dispel the notion. The Sox looked very much like a team capable of taking the next step beyond their near-miss campaign the previous year.
But then, the team commenced a three-month sputter. From May through July 23, the Sox’ season steadily started slipping away, as the team went 37-38 over that span. After jumping to a 2.5-game lead in the American League East by the end of April, the Sox entered their nationally televised game against the Yankees that Saturday staring at a mind-blowing 9.5-game hole.
“There was some concern about whether we were good enough or as good as everybody expected,” said Dave McCarty, a reserve first baseman on that team. “It was just a weird sensation to be going through that kind of a period with that kind of a team.”
McCarty recalled a conversation among six or eight of the veterans in early July that expressed a sudden sense of urgency with the trade deadline approaching.
“It was a huge point in the season for us in July,” said McCarty. “We said, ‘Look guys it’s getting to be make or break time. We better step it up or else they’re going to dismantle this team and trade guys
RSS Center
