soberdennis
10-02-2010, 04:24 AM
In a rivalry that has had many defining moments, it was arguably the most defining moment in sport's greatest rivalry before 2004, outside of the sale of a certain player of course.
The Yankees were defending world champs, thanks to a tremendous display of power in game 6 of the previous World Series by Reggie Jackson. They had also won the AL pennant two years earlier. Their roster was dotted by stars such as Jackson, Thurman Munson, Catfish Hunter, Greg Nettles, Sparky Lyle, and newly acquired Rich Gossage.
The Red Sox had their own stars. Carl Yastrzemski was aging, but was still the leader. Carlton Fisk handled the catching with the best of them. Fred Lynn was a former MVP and Rookie of the Year. They had just picked up Pitcher Mike Torrez, who had been a key to the Yankee Championship the year before.
But two men, one from each team, were the stars and ended up odds on favorites to finish 1-2 in the MVP voting.
Jim Rice was having a career year for the Red Sox. He ended up with 46 homers and 139 RBI, leading the league in hits, triples, homers, RBI, slugging, and OPS.
The Yankees countered with Ron Guidry, who was tearing up the league himself on his way to Pitching's Triple Crown.
The season did not start out well for the Yankees. They struggled early on and fell far behind in the standings. On July 19, they were 48-42 and in 4th place, 14 games out of first. Controversy permeated the clubhouse, leading Sparky Lyle to refer to it as the Bronx Zoo. New York papers had a field day with the antics of their World Champs.
Leading the controversy were the strong minded personalities that owned and managed the team respectively. George Steinbrenner had his ideas as to how Billy Martin should run the team and wasn't afraid to air them. Martin reacted with some controversial comments about his boss.
Steinbrenner finally forced Martin to resign on July 23 and replaced him with Bob Lemon. (At old-timers day a week later, the Yankees announced Martin would be back in 1980. But that's another story.)
Meanwhile the Red Sox started the season on fire. On that magic date of July 19, they were 62-28 and had a 9 game lead over Milwaukee along with a 14 game lead over the Yankees.
Then it happened. The Yankees started winning and the Red Sox started losing.
When the Yankees went to Boston on September 7 for a 4 game series, the lead had been cut to 4. What happened that weekend was the stuff of legends. The Yankees could do no wrong while the Red Sox could do no right. In the four games the Bronx Bombers outscored their rivals 42-9. When it was all said and done, the two teams were tied. The weekend is affectionately called in New York The Boston Massacre.
During the next few weeks, the Yankees continued to win and built a 3.5 game lead at one point. Then the Red Sox suddenly righted their ship and won their last 7 games. When 162 games had been played, both teams had identical records of 99-63, necessitating a one game playoff to be played at Fenway Park on October 2.
24 game winner Guidry was the obvious choice to start for the Yankees. He had shut the Red Sox out in both outings against them during the season, including a 7-0 win during the Massacre. The Red Sox countered with former Yankee Torrez.
The Red Sox got first blood in the second with a homer by Yastrzemski. They added another in the sixth on an RBI single by Rice. Meanwhile, Torrez had shut the Yankees down for six innings on just 2 hits.
That set the stage for one of the most improbable heroes in a Yankee history full of heroes.
In the 7th, after Greg Nettles flew out, Chris Chambliss and Roy White singled putting men on first and second. After Jim Spencer flew out, shortstop Bucky Dent came to the plate. On a 0-2 pitch from Torrez, he hit a ball over the Left Field wall to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.
The Yankees chased Torrez and added another run that inning. They also scored a run in the eighth off Bob Stanley on a Jackson homer. Goose Gossage replaced Guidry in the 7th and gave up 2 runs in the 8th to make the final 5-4 and completing an improbable comeback.
The Yankees went on to comeback from 2-0 deficits in both the ALCS against the Royals and the World Series against the Dodgers to win their 22nd title. But the year will always be remembered for an amazing comeback culminating in making a hero in New York and a cuss word in Boston out of a light hitting shortstop on this day 32 years ago.
The Yankees were defending world champs, thanks to a tremendous display of power in game 6 of the previous World Series by Reggie Jackson. They had also won the AL pennant two years earlier. Their roster was dotted by stars such as Jackson, Thurman Munson, Catfish Hunter, Greg Nettles, Sparky Lyle, and newly acquired Rich Gossage.
The Red Sox had their own stars. Carl Yastrzemski was aging, but was still the leader. Carlton Fisk handled the catching with the best of them. Fred Lynn was a former MVP and Rookie of the Year. They had just picked up Pitcher Mike Torrez, who had been a key to the Yankee Championship the year before.
But two men, one from each team, were the stars and ended up odds on favorites to finish 1-2 in the MVP voting.
Jim Rice was having a career year for the Red Sox. He ended up with 46 homers and 139 RBI, leading the league in hits, triples, homers, RBI, slugging, and OPS.
The Yankees countered with Ron Guidry, who was tearing up the league himself on his way to Pitching's Triple Crown.
The season did not start out well for the Yankees. They struggled early on and fell far behind in the standings. On July 19, they were 48-42 and in 4th place, 14 games out of first. Controversy permeated the clubhouse, leading Sparky Lyle to refer to it as the Bronx Zoo. New York papers had a field day with the antics of their World Champs.
Leading the controversy were the strong minded personalities that owned and managed the team respectively. George Steinbrenner had his ideas as to how Billy Martin should run the team and wasn't afraid to air them. Martin reacted with some controversial comments about his boss.
Steinbrenner finally forced Martin to resign on July 23 and replaced him with Bob Lemon. (At old-timers day a week later, the Yankees announced Martin would be back in 1980. But that's another story.)
Meanwhile the Red Sox started the season on fire. On that magic date of July 19, they were 62-28 and had a 9 game lead over Milwaukee along with a 14 game lead over the Yankees.
Then it happened. The Yankees started winning and the Red Sox started losing.
When the Yankees went to Boston on September 7 for a 4 game series, the lead had been cut to 4. What happened that weekend was the stuff of legends. The Yankees could do no wrong while the Red Sox could do no right. In the four games the Bronx Bombers outscored their rivals 42-9. When it was all said and done, the two teams were tied. The weekend is affectionately called in New York The Boston Massacre.
During the next few weeks, the Yankees continued to win and built a 3.5 game lead at one point. Then the Red Sox suddenly righted their ship and won their last 7 games. When 162 games had been played, both teams had identical records of 99-63, necessitating a one game playoff to be played at Fenway Park on October 2.
24 game winner Guidry was the obvious choice to start for the Yankees. He had shut the Red Sox out in both outings against them during the season, including a 7-0 win during the Massacre. The Red Sox countered with former Yankee Torrez.
The Red Sox got first blood in the second with a homer by Yastrzemski. They added another in the sixth on an RBI single by Rice. Meanwhile, Torrez had shut the Yankees down for six innings on just 2 hits.
That set the stage for one of the most improbable heroes in a Yankee history full of heroes.
In the 7th, after Greg Nettles flew out, Chris Chambliss and Roy White singled putting men on first and second. After Jim Spencer flew out, shortstop Bucky Dent came to the plate. On a 0-2 pitch from Torrez, he hit a ball over the Left Field wall to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.
The Yankees chased Torrez and added another run that inning. They also scored a run in the eighth off Bob Stanley on a Jackson homer. Goose Gossage replaced Guidry in the 7th and gave up 2 runs in the 8th to make the final 5-4 and completing an improbable comeback.
The Yankees went on to comeback from 2-0 deficits in both the ALCS against the Royals and the World Series against the Dodgers to win their 22nd title. But the year will always be remembered for an amazing comeback culminating in making a hero in New York and a cuss word in Boston out of a light hitting shortstop on this day 32 years ago.