Hope springs eternal for Red Sox fans

Last December I found out that I didn’t get the job I’ve always wanted. To be honest, my name wasn’t even on the list.

Instead, twenty-eight year old Theo Epstein was hired as the new General Manager of the Boston Red Sox. My first thought was to return my copy of  “Damn Yankees”, but then remembered I had already watched it several times.

This relationship started on a summer’s night in 1973, as an eight year old sitting in the left field stands at Fenway Park to watch my beloved Red Sox. Late in the game I got to witness what every Sox fan dreams of seeing; a towering homerun over the left field wall named the green monster. Unfortunately, California’s Frank Robinson hit the homer and the Sox lost.

These guys have been breaking my heart ever since.

In 1975 I sat quietly in my living room on Needle Circle and watched my Red Sox lose the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in seven games. In 1978 as a freshman at East High, I cut class for the playoff game against the New York Yankees, where Bucky Dent’s famous homerun finished off one of the most heart breaking ends to a season in baseball history.

In 1986 I was in Fairbanks, watching as one out away from beating the New York Mets and winning the World Series, the Sox let it slip through their legs. And what about last month’s heartbreak? I was doing the dishes.  

Some say the Red Sox are laboring under a curse, not to be broken until 2018. But it’s hard to rationalize these losses on a supposed curse. Throughout the years there has always been one consistent factor, the Red Sox always had a second chance.

In 1975, Carlton Fisk’s dramatic homerun in game six gave the Sox a chance at game seven. In 1978, they salvaged a one game playoff opportunity after blowing a fourteen game lead with weeks left in the season. In 1986, Bill Buckner’s famous error happened in game six and the Sox still had another game to win the series. Last month in the league championship, Boston had three opportunities before they lost to the Yankees.

But still, it’s easy to blame the Curse of the Bambino because the story line works so well.

In 1920 Harry Frazee - a entertainment entrepeneur and reluctant owner of the Boston Red Sox- sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees to finance his Broadway musical “No No Nanette”. Even before the sale, Ruth was considered one of the games best players. Hindsight shows the Yankees definitely got the better half of the deal.

Ruth proceeded to become one of the greatest players in baseball history leading the Yankees to four World Series titles and setting the table for a Yankees dynasty that has gone on to win more championships than any team in history. Meanwhile, the musical bombed and the Red Sox haven’t won the World Series since Ruth led them to victory in 1918. Hence the curse.

Ironically, it’s another one of baseballs greatest players of all times, that provides the best argument against the curse.

In 1935 a seventeen-year-old high school junior was offered $200 dollars a month to sign a major league contract. Instead, the future legend opted to stay in school and two years later signed with the Boston Red Sox. Who was the team that had originally pursued young Ted Williams? The New York Yankees.

For some, the truth may rest in the words attributed to Williams decades ago. When the Red Sox hall of fame outfielder was asked why the Sox could never put a championship season together, he replied “Twenty five guys, twenty five cabs”.

It might be more about teamwork and clutch performances than curses.

Regardless of the cause, cabs or curses, never say die. My heart will surely heal about the time spring training begins and brings with it the promise of a new season. And as any Red Sox fan will tell you, wait til’ next year.