The fabled rivalry and the “curse of the Bambino” began in 1919 when the Red Sox owner sold slugger Babe Ruth to the Yankees.
After going 86 years without winning a World Series, things got a whole lot better in 2004, when the Red Sox came back from a 3-0 deficit in the American League Championship Series to beat the New York Yankees.
The Red Sox eventually went on to win the World Series. Sox starts have never been shy about standing up to the guys in pinstripes in the Bronx.
The teams have so much passion when they clash. A bench clearing brawl came in July of 2004 when the rivalry was at its peak.
The two truly seemed to hate one another.
The year before in 2003, ace Pedro Martinez threw Yankees’ coach Don Zimmer to the ground as fists flew. Zimmer ended up in the hospital.
Before 2004, Sox fans had a lot of heartbreak.
In 1978, Yankees short stop Bucky Dent crushed the hearts of Red Sox fans when he ripped a three-run home run, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead and eventually the win in a one-game playoff for the American League East title.
Then again, in 2003, Aaron Boone broke the hearts of Red Sox fans with an 11th inning walk off home run. Boone has since returned to the Yankees as a manager, and has been at the helm since 2018.
All time, the Yankees lead the Red Sox 1,249-1,037. In the postseason, since their first meeting in 1999, the two teams are dead even. Both have 12 wins.
Recent history has gone Boston’s way. The Red Sox won the 2018 American League Division Series and eventually the World Series. The Sox also won the 2021 American League Wild Card game against the Bronx Bombers.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
