For my 69 year-old dad who grew up in Melrose, Massachusetts but who has lived in Menlo Park, California for over forty-years, since he came to Stanford. After all these years, the guy whose nickname is "Boston Bob" remains a tried-and-true Red Sox fan.
And every summer at our hat parties in Maine, what hat does my dad choose? His Boston Red Sox batting helmut. Every year!
For my Auntie Min, "Boston Bob's" sister, who lives in Denver these days, but who loves sports more than any woman I know -- from baseball, to football to hockey to any sport that involves horses, but especially the Red Sox.
For my Uncle Jack and Auntie Elena (Min and Boston Bob's brother and sister-in-law), who, to this day, live in Beacon Hill. Every year, we live vicariously through them, but especially this year, especially starting this Saturday.
For my cousin Jim, a news / sports broadcaster in Providence, Rhode Island, who pursued a career in broadcasting, in great part because of his love for the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Patriots and the Bruins.
For my brother Brad, a film producer, who has one of the best screenplay ideas I've ever heard which features the Boston Red Soxs.
Now, one day, all of them have the opportunity to meet my grandmother, Jessie McRae King in Heaven and tell her that they witnessed the Red Sox beating the Yankees to get into the World Series.
Jessie, or "Gaga" as she was affectionately called, was one of the biggest Red Sox fans in the history of the league, until her death ten years ago.
If God gives us a view of our nation's pastime, guaranteed she's watching every game to this day, just as she did when she was on earth.
Talk about someone smiling in Heaven? That would be Gaga!
Together with all the Red Sox fans and legends before this 2004 team.
Especially Hall of Famers Eddie Collins, Jimmy Collins, Joe Cronin, Bobby Doerr, Rick Ferrell, Carlton Fisk, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Harry Hooper, Herb Pennock, Red Ruffing, Babe Ruth (the source of the curse), Tris Speaker, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Tom Yawkey, Cy Young and Dennis Eckersley.
Forget the fact that I was born in New York City, so I should be a Yankees fan.
Or that I met my husband when we were at school in Boston.
It's no matter that after living two blocks from Fenway Park I became a bonafide Red Sox fan, not just because of my bloodline.
Fans worldwide shared tears of joy tonight because an historic team of men made a dream come true for themselves and an entire Red Sox Nation of believers.
We cheered along with all the fans at the Cask 'N Flagon, Kings, Cheers, The Sports Grille and The Greatest Bar, together with the die-hard celebrity fans, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck and Stephen King (no relation except for our New England connection).
We celebrate because they made history when they won a decisive seventh game on the road in the post-season for the very first time, ever.
Most of all, we cried because, for the first time since 1918, the Boston Red Sox Nation is going to the World Series, thanks to:
Bronson Arroyo
Mark Bellhorn
Orlando Cabrera
The Grand Slam Man, Johnny Damon
Alan Embree
Keith Foulke
Gabe Kapler
Curtis Leskanic
Derek Lowe
Pedro Martinez
Ramiro Mendoza
Doug Mientkiewicz
Kevin Millar
Doug Mirabelli
Bill Mueller
Mike Myers
Trot Nixon
ALCS Series MVP, David Ortiz
Manny Ramirez
Pokey Reese
Dave Roberts
Curt Schilling
Mike Timlin
Jason Varitek
Tim Wakefield
First Base Coach, Lynn Jones
Hitting Coach, Ron Jackson
Bench Coach, Brad Mills
Bullpen Coach, Euclides Rojas
Pitching Coach, Dave Wallace
Third Base Coach, Dale Sveum
Bullpen Catcher, Dana LaVangie
Principal Owner, John Henry
Chairman, Tom Werner
President & CEO, Larry Lucchino
Senior VP & General Manager, Theo Epstein
The 44 year-old, 44th Manager of The Red Sox, Terry Francona, who is the 5th-youngest active manager in the majors
After tonight's game, he was asked by Kenny Albert, "Down 0-3, one inning away from getting swept, did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine this would be possible?"
The 1st Red Sox Manager to lead his team to the World Series since 1986 responded:
Actually, yes. Because of the guys we have, and the way we try to go about it. We just tried to simplify things and go inning-by-inning, and that was the only way we could accomplish this. We were playing such a great team. There was no room for error when you're down 3-0. And we fought back and we did it. And it's against a great, great team. And it was really, really something. I'm so proud of these guys. That's an understatement.
In the first six games, Damon was 3 for 29 with one RBI. Tonight, he was 3 for 3, 2 home runs and 6 RBIs in the first three innings. For the game, he ended up 3 for 6 with a big smile on his face.
A favorite highlight of the evening:
After forcing a Game 7 last night, Johnny Damon became The Grand Slam Man.
After the game, Damon told FOX Reporter Kenny Albert, "We knew our team was special, even when we got down three games to none. I am so proud of our guys. We step it up and now we're going to the World Series. We are very happy!"
When Albert asked, "What message do you have for the folks back home?" he responded:
We're coming back home and we're going to party for a little while. It's going to be a great World Series, so stick with us, never count us out. Thank you very much for supporting us all, all year long, and for the World Series too. We're coming home.
In Genesis I of The Bible it reads, "And on the 7th Day God rested. And it was good."
In the Boston Red Sox Bible / History Book, it will undoubtedly read, "And after the 7th Game of the 2004 series the team made history and celebrated. And it was good, really, really good."
From there it should read, "And on the 8th day the team and the fans rested -- because they needed to. In fact, the mayor called the 8th day a holiday, so no one would have to go to work. So everyone could finally sleep. And celebrate. And rest up for Saturday, the first day of the 2004 World Series. The Red Sox have made history!"
The Die-Hard Fans kept the faith, and now they are beginning to see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
We experienced a lot of firsts tonight:
1) It's Boston first pennant since 1986.
2) It's the Red Sox first post-season series victory over the Yankees.
3) It's the first time in Major League Baseball post-season history any team has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the series. (In the NHL, two-out-of-140 opportunities has this happened, and never in the NBA.)
4) Tonight's win represents the biggest comeback in sport history!
By the way, did you know that the Red Sox won the first World Series ever? While the league was founded in 1887, the first Series didn't take place until 1903. The BoSox, also known as the Puritans, Piligrams and Americans, actually won five out of the first fifteen World Series. Until 1918, no team won more times than the Boston Red Sox. You could even say they were "The Yankees" of early baseball.
Are you a baseball fun but not a Yankees fan? If so, then click on this story by John Berman at:
ABCNews.com
For those unfamiliar with the rivalry between the Red Sox and the Yankees, Harvey and Frederic Frommer's account called Red Sox vs. Yankees: The Great Rivalry published in March 2004, couldn't come at a better time.
Some of our favorite signs and t-shirts at the game tonight:
Damon is My Homeboy
History Starts Now
Some of our favorite FOX & Newspaper headlines:
Johnny Be Good
Finally!!!
Lowe & Behold
Ghostbusters
As the FOX Network of broadcasters, Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, and Al Leiter wrapped up the series, you could hear the Red Sox fans in Yankee stadium chanting, "Who's Your Daddy?"
World Series Game 1 - Saturday 7:30pm ET
Thanks FOX.
Way to go Red Sox!
Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful and "keepin' the faith" living!!
~ Jennifer Carolyn King
P.S. With superheroes on the rise this Halloween, you've gotta bet there will be a lot kids dressed up as one of their favorite Boston Red Sox players.
Here in San Francisco, you'd better believe I'll be trick or treating wearing my t-shirt and sweatshirt, and my Red Sox cap.
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