Red Sox Nation

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Red Sox Nation is a term given to fans of the Boston Red Sox. The phrase "Red Sox Nation" was first used by Boston Globe feature writer Nathan Cobb in an October 20, 1986 article about split allegiances among fans in Connecticut during the 1986 World Series between the Red Sox and the New York Mets. The phrase was popularized by the 1996 book At Fenway: Dispatches From Red Sox Nation (ISBN 0-517-70104-9) by Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy.

Red Sox fans were once described by baseball commentator and Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley as the "ultimate manic-depressive fanbase." For all the excitement over the quality of play by the Red Sox, there is often a twinge of pessimism about the team, as the team's failures are typically blown out of proportion. Conversely, Sox fans are extremely appreciative of and devoted to the team, and almost all successful Red Sox players have at some point expressed their gratitude to the fans for their support. Sox fans could not be described as bandwagon fans, but they could at least be described as being somewhat rattled by the failures the team experienced for the 86 years between championships. Boston Globe columnist Charlie Pierce, among others, has attributed the self-perpetuating fatalism of the Nation to the intellectual legacy of the Puritans who settled Boston and instilled in the region's inhabitants a deep-seated Calvinist determinism.[1]

With the Red Sox victory in the 2004 World Series after the team's comeback from a three games to none deficit in the American League Championship Series against their ancient rivals, the New York Yankees, some commentators speculated that the title would change the nature of the Nation's denizens. A refrain oft-repeated by doubters, especially Yankee fans, is that the Red Sox would become "just another team" now that they have won the World Series. Others have worried that there will be an influx of fair-weather Sox fans, such as the influx of the pink hats. Because so many New England natives re-locate to other parts of the country, a large number of Red Sox fans can typically be found supporting their team at Red Sox games outside of Fenway Park. These fans keep up with the team by watching the games on satellite television, as well as through various Web sites. Members of the Nation are even known to call the popular WEEI sports-talk radio station in Boston long distance during the season and remain on hold, merely to be able to talk about their beloved Sox. Fans in California have created a Red Sox Nation West.

Red Sox Nation is fed by a large media machine covering the team, including the NESN TV network, WEEI, and the sports pages of the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and The Providence Journal. These media outlets, including national outlets such as ESPN, provide Sox fans with in-depth coverage and often highly-opinionated commentary on the current doings of the team.

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Contents

[edit] Topics of particular significance to Red Sox Nation

  • The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry: Red Sox Nation is rabidly averse to anything "Yankee," and it is not uncommon to walk through Boston or elsewhere in New England and see someone wearing a t-shirt with an obscene reference to one or more members of the Yankee club, or see a car pass by with a "Yankees Suck" bumper sticker (in a manner similar to the intense rivalry of the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in the NFL).
  • Curse of the Bambino: A purported curse on the team that was the single most important piece of Red Sox lore. The idea of a "Curse" was popularized in a book written by the Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy. The "Curse" was laid to rest with the Sox' victory in the 2004 World Series.
  • Bucky Dent's home run that won a 1978 one-game playoff for the Yankees.
  • Bill Buckner's infamous error in the 1986 World Series
  • Roger Clemens saga: Clemens was once the Red Sox pitching ace, but he was purportedly belittled by then general manager Dan Duquette, leading Clemens to leave the Sox in free agency for the Toronto Blue Jays. Clemens subsequently had several successful seasons with the Yankees, including during the 2003 ALCS (see below). As of 2006, Clemens pitches for the Houston Astros.
  • Alex Rodriguez saga: Between the 2003 and 2004 seasons, the Red Sox sought to acquire Rodríguez, considered one of the greatest shortstops of all time, via a trade with the Texas Rangers. General Manager Theo Epstein and the Red Sox ownership tried to consummate the Rodríguez deal; however, problems arose in restructuring Rodríguez's mammoth contract and the trade fell apart after Red Sox Nation had built up massive expectations. On February 14, the Rangers traded Rodríguez to the Yankees, who spent whatever money was necessary to make the trade work. Furthermore, the deal, which would have sent Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramírez to different teams, fatally damaged Garciaparra's relationship with team ownership (see Nomar Garciaparra entry below).
  • Pedro Martínez free agency: After being a key part of the 2004 World Series championship team, Martínez became a free agent. There was much speculation that he would end up signing with the hated Yankees, one of the few teams with the financial means to do so, and he did eventually end up in New York—as a member of the Mets. Martínez immediately went on to verbally bash many members of the Red Sox organization, ranging from Theo Epstein to Terry Francona to Curt Schilling, damaging his reputation in Boston and its ferocious sports media.
  • Johnny Damon free agency: In December 2005, Johnny Damon signed a $52 million deal with the rival New York Yankees. This particularly attracted the ire of Red Sox Nation because of Damon's statement in May of 2005, that, "There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they are going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need." He also indicated a desire to remain with the Red Sox for the rest of his career, though the Red Sox made few overtures toward resigning Damon. His signing with the Yankees, then, in December, was seen as betrayal by Red Sox fans. During the first Yankee-Red Sox game of the 2006 season Johnny Damon was repeatedly booed throughout the night by Fenway fans. Though a notable minority did cheer him when he tipped his hat to his old team's dugout and to the rest of Fenway, the majority of the park took part in various jeers when Damon was at bat or on the field, to the surprise of some of his former teammates.

[edit] Dates and games of significance to Red Sox Nation

  • 1918 World Series: The Red Sox, led by pitcher Babe Ruth, defeated the Chicago Cubs in their last World Series win prior to October 27, 2004
  • 1946 World Series: The only Red Sox pennant won between 1918 and 1967, and the only World Series appearance by Ted Williams. The Series went to a Game 7 in St. Louis, and the Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals were tied in the bottom of the seventh, with Enos Slaughter on first base. Slaughter tried to steal second when Harry Walker hit the ball to center field. Slaughter believed he could score, and when the ball got to Red Sox shortstop Johnny Pesky, he appeared to hesitate briefly before throwing the ball to home plate, and Slaughter scored what turned out to be the Series-winning run. The play became known as the Mad Dash, and "Pesky held the ball" became a familiar New England lament.
  • 1960 regular season home finale: In what would be his last major-league at-bat, Williams hit a home run to center field off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jack Fisher. It was the 521st home run of Williams' career.
  • 1967 "The Impossible Dream": Arguably, this season marks the beginning of the current fascination with the Red Sox and the birth of the modern Red Sox Nation. After numerous abysmal years, the '67 Sox, led by triple crown winner Carl Yastrzemski, stunned observers by winning the American League pennant. Ultimately, these Sox lost the 1967 World Series to a St. Louis Cardinals team anchored by Hall-of-Famer Bob Gibson.
  • 1975 World Series: In one of the most thrilling and closely-contested professional baseball championship events, the Red Sox lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, a powerhouse team known as the Big Red Machine and featuring future Hall of Fame players Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan. As so often in their storied history, the Red Sox provided the iconic moment of the Series in a losing effort when their own future Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk hit an extra-innings home run in Game Six. The Red Sox lost the Series in Game Seven after Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee gave up a home run on his trademark Eephus pitch.
  • 1978 AL East Playoff: After squandering the 14 game lead they held over the Yankees on July 18 and falling behind New York in the standings (the historic fall is known as the "Boston Massacre"), Boston rallied down the stretch and tied New York on the final day of the season to force a one-game playoff at Fenway Park for the AL East crown on October 2. Boston took a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning when Bucky Dent, a career .240 hitter with just 4 home runs all season, hit a three-run home run over the Green Monster off Sox pitcher Mike Torrez to give the Yankees a lead they would not relinquish. The Yankees won the game, 5-4, to advance to the American League Championship Series, where they defeated the Kansas City Royals, and ultimately the World Series, where the Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, capping one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history and another heartbreaking chapter in the Red Sox saga.
  • 1986 World Series: A heartbreaking moment for Boston fans, the Red Sox lost Game Six of the World Series following an error by Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner. Prior to Buckner's error, the Red Sox had come within one out of winning the game and, thus, the World Championship. Following Buckner's error, the Red Sox lost the 1986 World Series to the New York Mets in seven games, four games to three. Buckner subsequently became the local scapegoat for all the woes of the Red Sox since 1918, to the extent that his career was ruined, his family suffered some verbal and psychological harassment, and he was essentially run out of town.
  • 1999 ALCS: The Red Sox lost their first ALCS against the New York Yankees.
  • 2003 ALCS: The Red Sox came within five outs of advancing to the 2003 World Series, but questionable managerial decisions (a trademark of Grady Little's two seasons as Sox skipper) led to the Yankees tying the game and eventually winning the series on Aaron Boone's Game 7 walk-off home run in extra innings.
  • 2004 ALCS: The Yankees won the first three games of the series, but then the Red Sox followed with four straight victories, thereby becoming the first Major League Baseball team ever to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three. The series is most remembered for David Ortiz's clutch hitting to win games four and five in extra innings, Curt Schilling's gutsy pitching performance in the sixth game, with his injured ankle bleeding through his sock, and Derek Lowe silencing the Yankee bats in Yankee Stadium on two days' rest to win the deciding game.
  • 2004 World Series: The Red Sox won the World Series sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in four games and causing raucous celebration in New England and the Nation at large. Significantly, this victory represents the end of the alleged "Curse of the Bambino." (see above)
  • 2005 Final Series of the Season vs. the Yankees: The Red Sox played the Yankees on the final weekend of the season to decide the winner of the AL East title. The Red Sox won the Friday and Sunday games, but the Yankees won the Saturday game, clinching the division but failing to win home-field advantage in the Division Series. Both the Yankees and the Red Sox lost their respective Division Series, the Red Sox to the Chicago White Sox and the Yankees to the Anaheim Angels.
  • August 18th-August 21st, 2006: The Red Sox and the Yankees headed into a five game series at Fenway Park. The Yankees were 1 1/2 games in first place over the Red Sox. The Yankees simply outplayed the Red Sox to earn a five-game sweep, outscoring the Red Sox in the series 49 to 26. Ironically, Johnny Damon led the charge for the Yankees with strong hitting in what would be called, "The Boston Massacre II."

[edit] Players of significance to Red Sox Nation

  • Ted Williams: a Hall of Famer remembered by many as one of the greatest hitters of all time. His career lasted from 1939 to 1960, and he was, as of 2006, the last player to hit over .400, hitting .406 in 1941. Williams was known as The Splendid Splinter, The Thumper, Teddy Ballgame and The Kid. After Williams died in 2002, his son John Henry Williams made the decision to cryogenically freeze his remains, despite the fact that it was known that the great hitter's desire was to be cremated. This led John Henry Williams to be a much-hated figure in Red Sox Nation until his own death from leukemia in March 2004.
  • Dom DiMaggio: Sox center fielder during the 1940's and 1950's. Known as the Little Professor and for his spectacular defensive play.
  • Johnny Pesky: Former shortstop for the Sox, he has been with the organization in various capacities for 63 years. The foul pole in right field at Fenway Park is called "Pesky's Pole" in honor of him, who is said to have hit it many times for home runs.
  • Elijah "Pumpsie" Green: Became the first African American player on the Red Sox in 1959, making the Sox the last team in MLB to integrate.
  • Carl Yastrzemski: Hall of Famer remembered for leading the team during the 1967 "Impossible Dream" season and for his longevity - he holds the record for longest career with only one team. "Yaz" remains, through the 2006 season, the last player to win baseball's Triple Crown, and was the first player to collect 3,000 hits and hit 400 home runs in American League play. But he also holds the dubious record, for all of North American major league sports, of having played in 3,308 games without winning a world championship -- 3,325 if postseason games are included. Nevertheless, due to his leading the team to its first pennant in the television era, at a time of civil strife in America and an unpopular war abroad, he remains the most popular athlete in New England history, ahead of such stars as Williams, Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Bobby Orr and Tom Brady.[citation needed]
  • Carlton Fisk: New England native and catcher in the 1970s, loved for playing hurt and for his home run in the 1975 World Series.
  • Jim Rice: Leftfielder from 1974 to 1989, renowned for his hitting ability, 1978 A.L. MVP, only big leaguer to hit at least 35 home runs and have 200 or more hits for 3 consecutive seasons (1977-79), 6-time top 5 MVP Award finisher, 3-time home run leader, 2-time RBI leader, 4-Time Total Bases leader, 21 Outfield Assists (1984), Team Captain for 5 years (1985-89), infamous for grounding into double plays (1982-85).
  • Roger Clemens: Considered one of the greatest pitchers of all time, he was a three-time Cy Young award winner with the Sox, and won the American League MVP once. He also struck out 20 players in one game on two separate occasions. After the 1996 season, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and was eventually traded to the Yankees, causing much consternation among Red Sox fans. Few athletes have been so beloved, and then so hated, by the same group of fans.
  • Nomar Garciaparra: Drafted out of Georgia Tech in 1994, Nomar quickly won the hearts of the Nation with his acrobatic play at shortstop, his superior hitting, and his collection of tics and quirks. Nomar, generally thought to have been a franchise player whose uniform number (#5) would be retired between those of Joe Cronin (#4) and Yaz (#8), was sent to the Chicago Cubs in July 2004, resulting in the acquisitions of Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz. His contract was going to expire after that season, and as a result of the Alex Rodríguez saga mentioned above, it was widely believed that he wasn't interested in a new contract with Boston. Whispers around the clubhouse indicated that Nomar was hurting the team with a poor attitude. This belief can also be correlated to the team's remarkably better play down the stretch after the trade was completed.
  • John Valentin: The beloved SS, Nomar's predecessor at the position, was a success in his years with the Red Sox. Even though not the greatest in the game, Valentin was beloved by Red Sox nation. He would spend 10 years as a member of the Red Sox, until injuries occurred and he was released. Valentin played out his career with the New York Mets with friend Mo Vaughn.
  • Pedro Martínez: One of the most dominating pitchers of all time, Pedro has often been compared to Sandy Koufax and possesses one of the highest career winning percentages of all-times at .705 (182-76). Pedro helped lead the Sox to the title in 2004 after years as the Sox ace. He left the team in the following off-season (see Pedro free agency above).
  • Manny Ramírez: Outfielder noted for his dominance at the plate and occasional lapses in concentration. Was named MVP of the 2004 World Series. He signed an eight-year, $160 million contract with the Sox after the 2000 season, and is currently the third-highest paid player in all of MLB.
  • David Ortiz: Designated hitter-first baseman renowned for hitting clutch home runs, especially against the Yankees, making him arguably the biggest "Yankee killer" in baseball history. Known as "Big Papi" for his size and the respect his teammates have for him.
  • Curt Schilling: Pitcher who was initially in the Sox' minor league system before being traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He eventually returned to the Sox from the Arizona Diamondbacks before the 2004 season, and went 21-6 with a 3.26 ERA and 203 strikeouts. During the playoffs, he won Game 6 of the ALCS and Game 2 of the World Series while pitching on an injured ankle (his tendon had to be stabilized surgically), helping the Sox win their first championship in 86 years. He is also noted for his outspokenness, participation on popular fan sites and his calling of local sports radio stations.
  • Tim Wakefield: one of the most reliable pitchers in Red Sox history, he has been playing for the team almost his entire career, more than 10 years, and during that time he has filled every role a pitcher can, depending on where the team needed him, such as middle reliever, closer and starter. He also possesses a unique kind of pitch, the knuckleball, which has been thrown by only a few pitchers in MLB history.
  • Jason Varitek: The current captain of the Red Sox, Varitek also known as a dirt dog by the fans. Well-liked for his loyalty and leadership, and known as one of the best catchers in baseball today.
  • Trot Nixon: Of all current Red Sox players, the only one to have played for over 10 years and spent his entire career in Boston. The Sox' right fielder was drafted in 1993 and broke into the majors in '96.

[edit] Cult figures

  • Tony Conigliaro: An outfielder who showed great promise (winning American League Rookie of the Year in 1964), but whose career was ultimately derailed by injuries, most notably a broken cheekbone and severe damage to the retina in his left eye after being hit by a pitch in 1967. After his death, the team created the "Tony Conigliaro Award", which is given to the MLB player who best overcomes an obstacle and adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage.
  • Bill Lee: A lefthanded relief pitcher in the 1970s, nicknamed The Spaceman for, as Ken Burns's Baseball put it, "his unorthodox views on baseball and the cosmos". More than any other player, helped to restore the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry to its former heights with his participation in on-field fights and his off-field comments. But his criticism of manager Don Zimmer as "the Designated Gerbil" led to his being traded away.
  • Rich Garces: Known as El Guapo in joking reference to his girth, a Sox relief pitcher in the 1990's revered by the Nation. The nickname comes from the movie Three Amigos.
  • Sam Horn: Once a prized prospect in the Sox farm system, Horn never really made it in "The Show". Now is a NESN commentator and has lent his name to an influential Sox fan website (see external links below).
  • Wendell Kim: Served as the Sox third base coach in the mid to late 1990's. Nicknamed Wave em home Wendall, Send 'Em In Kim or Windmill Kim for his proclivity for sending players home even when they had little chance of scoring. Also known for sprinting full out from the home dugout (on the first base side) to his third base coaching position. Former 3rd Base coach Dale Sveum was also critizied by Red Sox Nation for sending runners home in bad spots.

[edit] Songs, phrases, and hair of significance to Red Sox Nation

  • Cowboy Up: Coined and popularized by former Sox first baseman Kevin Millar during the 2003 regular season, "Cowboy Up" became the rallying cry of the team and Nation in their run through the playoffs. Oddly for the decidedly un-Western region, the phrase is originally a rodeo term referring to "never giving up, brushing oneself off and getting back in the saddle after being thrown. [1]
  • Still, We Believe: 2004 documentary of the 2003 Red Sox season. Terms like "Believe" and "Faith" would be the mantra of the fanbase during the 2004 season.
  • Faith Rewarded: The NESN documentary chronicling the Sox's march to a championship in 2004. It features silly bonus extras, including Big Papi cooking Dominican cuisine for Sam Horn at his Boston apartment.
  • Dirty Water, by The Standells: played after every victory at Fenway Park, it is one of the theme songs that the Red Sox Nation is known for.
  • Tessie: Theme song performed in 2004 by the Dropkick Murphys, with proceeds going to charity. Red Sox Nation has proven to be an incredible source of philanthropy. Tessie is of historical significance in Red Sox lore as it became the theme song of the Royal Rooters ('Nuff Said McGreavy, Hi-Hi Dixwell, and friends) beginning perhaps at the first World Series in 1903. The Royal Rooters supplied (were) their own band, marched into home and away ball parks as a group with the band playing, and supplied their own lyrics, topically connected to opponent's players and quirks.
  • Sweet Caroline: The Neil Diamond song is played in the middle of the 8th inning at every Red Sox home game. Fans enthusiastically sing along with it.
  • Hair: The 2004 Red Sox were known as the "hairiest team in baseball," due to their unconventional hairstyles. This is in marked opposition to the Yankees, who have a very rigid grooming policy. President George W. Bush even commented on the Sox' hirsute nature at a Rose Garden ceremony honoring the team in March 2005. A list of Red Sox and their follicular exploits:

[edit] "Official" Red Sox Nation

In 2005 the Red Sox began offering "Official Citizenship" in Red Sox Nation. For a fee of $9.95(USD), fans receive a membership card with the words "Official Red Sox Nation Citizen," and access to additional Red Sox merchandise offers and newsletters. Some fans, such as SNL's Jimmy Fallon have embraced the promotion, while critics have charged it as a shameless commercial ploy. On March 15, 2006 the Red Sox began offering membership for a new Nation, which includes two "levels" of membership. One level is the "Red Sox Nation Fan Pack" -- the membership fee for that program is $9.95 -- and the second, recently-added level is called the "Ultimate Fan Pack," which is available for $59.95.

[edit] Other teams

  • Chicago Cubs: In 2005, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Gene Wojciechowski published a book titled Cubs Nation. Native Chicagoans are spread throughout America. Conversely, Chicago, like Boston, is a city that takes in people from all over the country and brings them to embrace a local team. The Cubs' tradition of shocking late-season failures and ineptitude is similar to that of the Red Sox, although, unlike the Red Sox, their championship drought continues into the 2007 season.
  • St. Louis Cardinals: Once the southernmost and westernmost team in the major leagues, the Cardinals had a vast network of radio stations that reached into the southern and western regions of the United States, creating many Cardinal fans in places that now have teams much closer than St. Louis: The Kansas City Royals, the Atlanta Braves, the Texas Rangers, the Houston Astros, the Colorado Rockies. As a result, many fans inherited their parents' teams instead of taking on one of the new ones nearby, and "Cardinal Nation" T-shirts began appearing in the 2000s, and were worn by fans at Busch Stadium during the 2004 World Series against the Red Sox.
  • New York Yankees: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, a local treatment facility, partnered with the Yankees to sell "Yankees Universe" shirts, with proceeds going to the center.
  • Oakland Raiders: At first, being the team of North California's "East Bay" region, with the much more popular and more successful San Francisco 49ers across San Francisco Bay, might seem like a weak case for a "nation" of Raider fans. Far from it. Al Davis's relocation of the team to Los Angeles in 1982 inadvertantly caused the birth of a nation--the Raider Nation--as fiercely loyal Raiders fans would make the trek from the Bay Area to Los Angeles to see home games. Coincidentally, the Raiders move back to Oakland in 1995 caused a reverse effect, as L.A. fans had quickly embraced the Raiders during their short stay. L.A. residents of Raider Nation now make regular trips to Oakland to see Raider home games. In addition, the franchise's success and "outlaw" image in the 1970s and 1980s had already caused many fans from around the country to accept the Raiders and reject their local teams.
  • New England Patriots: Fans of the Boston area's local NFL team also started using the "Nation" name shortly after "Red Sox Nation" became popular. The rise of the term "Patriots Nation" coincided with the team's recent string of three Super Bowl championships.

[edit] External links

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