Old Yankee Stadium was built on a lumberyard near Coogan's Bluff in the west Bronx, which the owners of the Yankees bought from William Waldorf Astor for $675,000.
The New York Yankees had debuted as the New York Highlanders in 1903, when a couple of bartenders bought the minor league Baltimore Orioles for $18,000. From 1903 until 1912 the Highlanders played at Hilltop Park in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Following the 1912 season the team changed its name to the Yankees and their lease at Hilltop expired. They signed a 10 year agreement to play alongside the Giants at the Polo Grounds. From the start the Yankees had been a mediocre team at best and this continued through their years at the Polo Grounds, until of course the famous deal with the Boston Red Sox following the 1919 season.
Yankee owners Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast Huston were aware that Red Sox owner Harry Frazee was having financial difficulties and armed with this knowledge offered to buy star pitcher Babe Ruth. Frazee had already refused an offer of Shoeless Joe Jackson and $60,000 from the Chicago White Sox for Ruth and demanded $125,000 from the Yankees but eventually settled for $100,000 ($25,000 up front and 3 subsequent yearly payments of $25,000, plus a $300,000 loan guaranteed by Fenway Park).
During the 1920 season, joyous Yankee fans came out in droves to see their new star. Attendance that year reached 1.3 million, easily topping the figures for the host Giants. In 1921 the Yankees won the American League pennant and played the Giants in the World Series (the Giants won the best of nine series in eight games, all played at the Polo Grounds). Relations between the two teams had always been acrimonious, but now the Yankees were actually rivals and this proved to be the tipping point. Giant's owner Charles Stoneham "suggested" that perhaps it was time for the Yankees to find a new place to play, hoping they would move out in the boroughs and leave his fan base alone.
On April 18, 1923 the New York Yankees moved into their new home. It was the largest ballpark yet built and apparently, the first to be called "Stadium". It cost Ruppert and Huston $2.5 million to construct and had a seating capacity of nearly 60,000 in an era when the standard was about half of that. It was originally designed to have three decks completely encircling the field, but was eventually scaled back. It used 26,000 cubic meters of specialized hardened concrete (developed by Thomas Edison). The original field dimensions were 295 ft. in right, 490 ft. in center (where it was fittingly called Death Valley) and 281 ft. in left. The success and popularity of the Yankees led to the stadium quickly being expanded in 1928 and again in 1937 bringing the capacity to nearly 80,000.
1932 marked the beginning of what would become Monument Park, when a monument to legendary manager Miller Huggins was erected. Huggins was joined by Lou Gehrig in 1941 and Babe Ruth in 1949. These monuments were actually in fair territory in dead center field. In 1972 the Yankees sold the stadium to the City of New York. The city closed the stadium after the 1973 season for much needed renovations. The Yankees played the '74 and '75 seasons at Shea Stadium with the Mets. The $160 million renovations were completed in time for the 1976 season. Center field had been shortened by 40 ft. leaving the monuments behind the new fence. Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle had also been given monuments. Plaques were steadily added to the area and would eventually include Ed Barrow, Jacob Ruppert, Casey Stengel, Joe McCarthy, Pope Paul VI, Thurmon Munson, Pope John Paul II, Billy Martin, Whitey Ford, Lefty Gomez, Roger Maris, Allie Reynolds, Elston Howard, Phil Rizzuto, Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson and Don Mattingly.
In 2005 the Yankees announced plans to build a new Yankee Stadium across the street from the original. Construction began on the new stadium in 2006 and was completed in time for opening day, 2009. The Yankees played their final game in "old" Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2008. Demolition was completed in 2010 and a park is being built on the site of the old lumberyard.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Learning about Golf
A round of golf is usually played on an 18 hole golf course. However, there are some golf courses that may only be 9 holes.
The players elect to play either 9 holes or 18 holes. If you are a beginner, I suggest you start playing 9 holes as it allows you to get the feel for the game within a respectable time frame.
The aim of golf is to hit a golf ball with a golf club and get the ball into a hole with the least number of shots (called "strokes"). The person that gets around the golf course in the least number of strokes wins.
Each hole has a "Par", this tells the player the average amount of strokes it should take them to get their ball into the hole.
Players hit off from the Teeing ground, most players call it the "Tee". The player will use a golf ball tee to raise their ball to the height of their liking and then they use a golf club to hit the ball. Their goal is to hit the ball as far up the Fairway as possible. The Fairway is usually mowed grass, but may still be uneven.
Each Player then takes their turn to "Tee off". The players will then go find their golf balls. The player who hit their ball the shortest distance will then hit their ball up the fairway aiming to get it on the "green"
The golf green is an area of the course that is smooth and has very short neatly mowed grass. However, the green will usually have a slope on it to make it harder! Somewhere on the green is a hole with a flag sticking out of it. This is your target.
Once the golf ball is on the green, the player will wait their turn and then putt the ball toward the hole aiming to get the ball in the hole. Putting means to hit the ball along the ground. The player with the ball the furthest from the hole will usually go first.
When the player is lining up their shot another player will usually hold the flag stick. This is so the player taking the shot can line it up with the flag. Once the player has hit the ball, the second player will remove the flag.
Once all players have managed to get their golf ball in the hole, they record their scores and move onto the next hole.
Sounds easy doesn't it, well there are a few other things you need to be aware of.
Around the course you will come across a number of obstacles that have been created by the course designers to make your game of golf a bit more challenging and memorable.
The first obstacle is called the "Sand Bunker". This is an area of the course that resembles a sand pit, but they are not as much fun. The Sand Bunker is usually in a sunken area of the course and can have high sides to make it harder for you to hit the ball out. If the player hits their ball in a sand bunker, they will need to hit their ball out of it.
The second obstacle is the "Water Hazard". A water hazard can be a small stream, a pond, or a lake. The water hazard brings the psychology of golf into play, and some player swear the water hazard has a magnetic pull that magically attracts their golf ball toward them.
If the ball lands in a water hazard, most players will recover their ball and drop it as close as possible on the bank. If the player elects to do this they add a penalty of 1 to their score.
The third obstacle are man made hazards, these can be immovable objects such as light posts or benches, or they can be movable items such as rakes, hoses or golf carts.
If a player comes across a man made hazard they can elect to move the hazard, but they are not allowed to move their golf ball. If the golf ball is moved then a penalty shot of 1 is added to the players score.
The fourth obstacle are natural hazards, these can be leaves, twigs, sticks, or stones. The player can move these natural hazards, but they are not allowed to move their golf ball. If the golf ball is moved a penalty shot of 1 is added to their score.
Every golf course has a clearly marked boundary. If the player hits their ball "out of bounds" they must take the shot again from its original location. A penalty shot of 1 is added to their score.
The players elect to play either 9 holes or 18 holes. If you are a beginner, I suggest you start playing 9 holes as it allows you to get the feel for the game within a respectable time frame.
The aim of golf is to hit a golf ball with a golf club and get the ball into a hole with the least number of shots (called "strokes"). The person that gets around the golf course in the least number of strokes wins.
Each hole has a "Par", this tells the player the average amount of strokes it should take them to get their ball into the hole.
Players hit off from the Teeing ground, most players call it the "Tee". The player will use a golf ball tee to raise their ball to the height of their liking and then they use a golf club to hit the ball. Their goal is to hit the ball as far up the Fairway as possible. The Fairway is usually mowed grass, but may still be uneven.
Each Player then takes their turn to "Tee off". The players will then go find their golf balls. The player who hit their ball the shortest distance will then hit their ball up the fairway aiming to get it on the "green"
The golf green is an area of the course that is smooth and has very short neatly mowed grass. However, the green will usually have a slope on it to make it harder! Somewhere on the green is a hole with a flag sticking out of it. This is your target.
Once the golf ball is on the green, the player will wait their turn and then putt the ball toward the hole aiming to get the ball in the hole. Putting means to hit the ball along the ground. The player with the ball the furthest from the hole will usually go first.
When the player is lining up their shot another player will usually hold the flag stick. This is so the player taking the shot can line it up with the flag. Once the player has hit the ball, the second player will remove the flag.
Once all players have managed to get their golf ball in the hole, they record their scores and move onto the next hole.
Sounds easy doesn't it, well there are a few other things you need to be aware of.
Around the course you will come across a number of obstacles that have been created by the course designers to make your game of golf a bit more challenging and memorable.
The first obstacle is called the "Sand Bunker". This is an area of the course that resembles a sand pit, but they are not as much fun. The Sand Bunker is usually in a sunken area of the course and can have high sides to make it harder for you to hit the ball out. If the player hits their ball in a sand bunker, they will need to hit their ball out of it.
The second obstacle is the "Water Hazard". A water hazard can be a small stream, a pond, or a lake. The water hazard brings the psychology of golf into play, and some player swear the water hazard has a magnetic pull that magically attracts their golf ball toward them.
If the ball lands in a water hazard, most players will recover their ball and drop it as close as possible on the bank. If the player elects to do this they add a penalty of 1 to their score.
The third obstacle are man made hazards, these can be immovable objects such as light posts or benches, or they can be movable items such as rakes, hoses or golf carts.
If a player comes across a man made hazard they can elect to move the hazard, but they are not allowed to move their golf ball. If the golf ball is moved then a penalty shot of 1 is added to the players score.
The fourth obstacle are natural hazards, these can be leaves, twigs, sticks, or stones. The player can move these natural hazards, but they are not allowed to move their golf ball. If the golf ball is moved a penalty shot of 1 is added to their score.
Every golf course has a clearly marked boundary. If the player hits their ball "out of bounds" they must take the shot again from its original location. A penalty shot of 1 is added to their score.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tiger Woods and golf
Tiger Woods is uncertain as to when he will resume playing golf.
"Usually I set a timetable when I want to come back and play when I've had injuries before," Woods said at the AT&T National, which benefits his foundation. "This one is different. I'm going to learn my lesson from what I did at The Players and apply it this time and come back when I'm 100 percent. I don't know when that's going to be.
"That's kind of the frustrating thing about it right now is I don't know."
Regarding the British Open:
"I wouldn't go over there just to show up," he said. "I'd go over there to win the golf tournament, so I need to obviously get my body ready so I can practice, and eventually play."
"We're testing it every day to see what it feels like," he said. "You try and push it as far as the leg will go, and then if it doesn't feel any good, then you bring it back. And each day it's gotten better. We haven't had any setbacks, which has been good. But still, it's not as explosive or as strong as I'd like to be."
So, for now, playing golf is on hold.
"Usually I set a timetable when I want to come back and play when I've had injuries before," Woods said at the AT&T National, which benefits his foundation. "This one is different. I'm going to learn my lesson from what I did at The Players and apply it this time and come back when I'm 100 percent. I don't know when that's going to be.
"That's kind of the frustrating thing about it right now is I don't know."
Regarding the British Open:
"I wouldn't go over there just to show up," he said. "I'd go over there to win the golf tournament, so I need to obviously get my body ready so I can practice, and eventually play."
"We're testing it every day to see what it feels like," he said. "You try and push it as far as the leg will go, and then if it doesn't feel any good, then you bring it back. And each day it's gotten better. We haven't had any setbacks, which has been good. But still, it's not as explosive or as strong as I'd like to be."
So, for now, playing golf is on hold.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Arnold Palmer- a golf great
With the possible exception of Jack Nicklaus, there is simply put no name that is as associated with the sport of Golf as that of Arnold Palmer. He is, together with Nicklaus, responsible for making golf a popular instead of an esoteric game, and is easily also one of the best to have ever played the game. An Arnold Palmer quiz needs to look not only at his incredible records as a player, but also his contributions on a larger scale to the sport of golf itself.
However, Arnold Palmer trivia, like that of any athlete, is so full of information regarding the statistics and numbers involved in his career that it would be impossible to ignore them altogether. For example, Palmer won seven majors in the course of his career. He won the masters in four different years, the US open once, and the Open Championship (The British Open) twice. He nearly won all three in a single year but lost the Open by just one shot. He won 29 PGA tour events once within the window of four seasons from 1960-1963, which were easily his best years. He was also the first person to earn a million dollars on that tour, again establishing him as a sporting superstar rather than simply a golfer.
An Arnold Palmer quiz needs to note that he helped to make golf less of a sport for the elite, and more a sport that everyone could enjoy. Many people found themselves unable to continue playing team sports as they grew older, and golf provided them with a sport they could all enjoy even into old age. This was something that became emphasized even more into the twilight years of Palmer's career, as he became one of the promotional faces of the senior PGA tour, helping to popularize those events the way he had helped to popularize the regular tour in earlier years.
Arnold Palmer trivia should end with his last formal tournament that he played in, which was in October 2006. Palmer had retired from the Masters in 2004, the Us. Senior open in 2005, and in 2006 he withdrew after starting a tournament because he felt that he could no longer play effectively. His legacy was reaffirmed by moments of brilliance even during those last tournaments, including a legendary shot in 2004 at the Bay Hill Invitational
However, Arnold Palmer trivia, like that of any athlete, is so full of information regarding the statistics and numbers involved in his career that it would be impossible to ignore them altogether. For example, Palmer won seven majors in the course of his career. He won the masters in four different years, the US open once, and the Open Championship (The British Open) twice. He nearly won all three in a single year but lost the Open by just one shot. He won 29 PGA tour events once within the window of four seasons from 1960-1963, which were easily his best years. He was also the first person to earn a million dollars on that tour, again establishing him as a sporting superstar rather than simply a golfer.
An Arnold Palmer quiz needs to note that he helped to make golf less of a sport for the elite, and more a sport that everyone could enjoy. Many people found themselves unable to continue playing team sports as they grew older, and golf provided them with a sport they could all enjoy even into old age. This was something that became emphasized even more into the twilight years of Palmer's career, as he became one of the promotional faces of the senior PGA tour, helping to popularize those events the way he had helped to popularize the regular tour in earlier years.
Arnold Palmer trivia should end with his last formal tournament that he played in, which was in October 2006. Palmer had retired from the Masters in 2004, the Us. Senior open in 2005, and in 2006 he withdrew after starting a tournament because he felt that he could no longer play effectively. His legacy was reaffirmed by moments of brilliance even during those last tournaments, including a legendary shot in 2004 at the Bay Hill Invitational
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
A Fit body for Golfing success
Golf is a game requiring mastery in a variety of areas for success. Breaking down the game of golf into categories. Success and development within is required in the areas of mechanics, physical, nutritional, and mental. Mechanics is the development of the proper biomechanics of the golf swing. Physical entails developing the body around the golf swing. Nutrition incorporates fueling the body for proper success on the golf course. Mental is the development of the correct mind set to excel at the game of golf.
Each and every one of these categories has a direct affect on the development of your golf game. Often the golfer tends to focus only upon the development of the golf swing through mastery of biomechanics of the golf swing. Developing the biomechanics of the golf swing requires you to correctly master each phase of the golf swing. Often the golf swing is broken down into phases. These phases are address, backswing, transition, downswing, and follow through. Not only is it required of the amateur to master each movement entailed in the phases of the golf swing. It is also necessary to perform each specific movement with the correct timing. Finally, the discussion of the biomechanics requires you to create efficiency and repeatability within the golf swing. After recognizing all the intricacies involved in the development of efficient golf swing mechanics. It is understandable why golfers spend an in ornate amount of this part of developing their golf game.
What golfers at times fail to recognize that additional categories exist requiring development to create the optimal golf swing. If ignored these aspects can negatively affect the development of the golf swing and golf game. The next category requiring development within the golfer is categorized as physical. Physical refers to the development of the body around the golf swing. Often times the body is a hindrance in the development of the biomechanics of the golf swing. The golf swing requires certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within the body to execute the golf swing correctly. If the body is lacking in any one of these physical categories, the ability to perform the biomechanics of the golf swing correctly will be hindered. The end result is the possible inability to master the biomechanics of the golf swing. The common result is the development of compensations in the golf swing. For example, the golf swing requires a high level of flexibility to complete a full shoulder turn. If the golfer is lacking flexibility, the ability to complete a full shoulder turn will be compromised, thus causing compensations in the golf swing.
Each and every physical component has a direct effect on the execution of the golf swing. Compensations can easily occur if these physical aspects are not developed around the golf swing. In addition to developing these physical aspects of the body, it is of equal importance to develop these parameters around the biomechanics of the golf swing. This type of training is termed cross-specific training. Cross-specific training can be defined as the developing the physical parameters of the body to the positions, movement, and requirements of the golf swing. This simply states the components of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power must be developed around the requirements of the golf swing.
After understanding the physical component of golf swing development. The golfer must understand two additional categories directly affecting the game of golf. The next category the golfer must understand and develop is nutrition. Nutrition is a fairly basic component to understand in relation to golf or any other athletic endeavor. Essentially, nutrition is the process by which one fuels their body for their sport. Basically if poor nutrients are given to the body during athletic endeavors, outputs on the field of competition (i.e. golf course for golfers) will be less than optimal. Nutrition in relation to athletes is not solely concerned about weight loss, but more so on providing the body with the nutrients required for success on and off the course. Weight loss and good health go hand-in-hand with proper nutrition, but with athletes the number one concern is properly fueling the body for success in their chosen sport. Nutrition in golf and athletics in general are required for success during competition and development of the athlete in their chosen sport.
For example, nutrition fuels the body in the development of it physically. In order to develop higher levels of strength and power within the golfer, proper nutrition will undoubtedly increase the success within this category. If the body is provided proper nutrients, the ability of it to develop the physical requirements needed of the golf swing will occur at a much more optimal process.
The final category lending itself to develop of one's golf game is mental. Often referred to as a key element of success within the game of golf. Numerous materials exist on the development of the mind within golf. It is often a category that is address once a proficiency in the area of golf swing mechanics has materialized, but at times is overlooked by many amateurs within the game. A grasping of the basic concepts of positive mental outlook, visualization, and preparation can improve a golfer's success rate on course a great deal. As with all other categories requiring development for the game of golf, the mental side of game is in need of attention.
Development of a golfer's swing and game consists of much more than the golf swing itself. It requires efficiency within the biomechanics of the golf swing. Inside these biomechanics of the golf are ingraining the correct sequence of the golf swing and the timing required. Developing the biomechanics of the golf swing can hinge upon physical components of the body. Certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power are required to execute the golf swing correctly. On top of developing the body for the golf swing proper nutrition is required. Nutrition fuels the body during a round of golf and assists in the process of developing a well rounded golf game. Finally, the correct mental approach is required for success within this game of golf. The mental side of the game requires just as much attention as the other components in the development of your game of golf. All in all a comprehensive approach in the development of your golf game is required for optimal success in the game of golf. This entails time and effort in the areas of: golf swing biomechanics, developing the flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power required physically of the golf swing, properly fueling the body with optimal nutrition, and development of a sound mental approach to the game of golf.
Each and every one of these categories has a direct affect on the development of your golf game. Often the golfer tends to focus only upon the development of the golf swing through mastery of biomechanics of the golf swing. Developing the biomechanics of the golf swing requires you to correctly master each phase of the golf swing. Often the golf swing is broken down into phases. These phases are address, backswing, transition, downswing, and follow through. Not only is it required of the amateur to master each movement entailed in the phases of the golf swing. It is also necessary to perform each specific movement with the correct timing. Finally, the discussion of the biomechanics requires you to create efficiency and repeatability within the golf swing. After recognizing all the intricacies involved in the development of efficient golf swing mechanics. It is understandable why golfers spend an in ornate amount of this part of developing their golf game.
What golfers at times fail to recognize that additional categories exist requiring development to create the optimal golf swing. If ignored these aspects can negatively affect the development of the golf swing and golf game. The next category requiring development within the golfer is categorized as physical. Physical refers to the development of the body around the golf swing. Often times the body is a hindrance in the development of the biomechanics of the golf swing. The golf swing requires certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within the body to execute the golf swing correctly. If the body is lacking in any one of these physical categories, the ability to perform the biomechanics of the golf swing correctly will be hindered. The end result is the possible inability to master the biomechanics of the golf swing. The common result is the development of compensations in the golf swing. For example, the golf swing requires a high level of flexibility to complete a full shoulder turn. If the golfer is lacking flexibility, the ability to complete a full shoulder turn will be compromised, thus causing compensations in the golf swing.
Each and every physical component has a direct effect on the execution of the golf swing. Compensations can easily occur if these physical aspects are not developed around the golf swing. In addition to developing these physical aspects of the body, it is of equal importance to develop these parameters around the biomechanics of the golf swing. This type of training is termed cross-specific training. Cross-specific training can be defined as the developing the physical parameters of the body to the positions, movement, and requirements of the golf swing. This simply states the components of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power must be developed around the requirements of the golf swing.
After understanding the physical component of golf swing development. The golfer must understand two additional categories directly affecting the game of golf. The next category the golfer must understand and develop is nutrition. Nutrition is a fairly basic component to understand in relation to golf or any other athletic endeavor. Essentially, nutrition is the process by which one fuels their body for their sport. Basically if poor nutrients are given to the body during athletic endeavors, outputs on the field of competition (i.e. golf course for golfers) will be less than optimal. Nutrition in relation to athletes is not solely concerned about weight loss, but more so on providing the body with the nutrients required for success on and off the course. Weight loss and good health go hand-in-hand with proper nutrition, but with athletes the number one concern is properly fueling the body for success in their chosen sport. Nutrition in golf and athletics in general are required for success during competition and development of the athlete in their chosen sport.
For example, nutrition fuels the body in the development of it physically. In order to develop higher levels of strength and power within the golfer, proper nutrition will undoubtedly increase the success within this category. If the body is provided proper nutrients, the ability of it to develop the physical requirements needed of the golf swing will occur at a much more optimal process.
The final category lending itself to develop of one's golf game is mental. Often referred to as a key element of success within the game of golf. Numerous materials exist on the development of the mind within golf. It is often a category that is address once a proficiency in the area of golf swing mechanics has materialized, but at times is overlooked by many amateurs within the game. A grasping of the basic concepts of positive mental outlook, visualization, and preparation can improve a golfer's success rate on course a great deal. As with all other categories requiring development for the game of golf, the mental side of game is in need of attention.
Development of a golfer's swing and game consists of much more than the golf swing itself. It requires efficiency within the biomechanics of the golf swing. Inside these biomechanics of the golf are ingraining the correct sequence of the golf swing and the timing required. Developing the biomechanics of the golf swing can hinge upon physical components of the body. Certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power are required to execute the golf swing correctly. On top of developing the body for the golf swing proper nutrition is required. Nutrition fuels the body during a round of golf and assists in the process of developing a well rounded golf game. Finally, the correct mental approach is required for success within this game of golf. The mental side of the game requires just as much attention as the other components in the development of your game of golf. All in all a comprehensive approach in the development of your golf game is required for optimal success in the game of golf. This entails time and effort in the areas of: golf swing biomechanics, developing the flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power required physically of the golf swing, properly fueling the body with optimal nutrition, and development of a sound mental approach to the game of golf.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Yankees and Red Sox rivalry
There are many great rivalries across in sports, but the one between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox is legendary. The history between these two fabled baseball teams is too extensive to give proper consideration in a brief article. Here is a brief synopsis of this great rivalry.
Boston won the first World Series in 1903 as the Americans, before changing their name to the Red Sox in 1908. The Yankees, who were known as the Highlanders in the early days, met the Boston Americans in 1904 in a season ending battle for the pennant. Boston was victorious in that game, which was the only time that these two teams met in the final game of a season, due to a World Series not being played that year.
Babe Ruth arrived in New York for the 1920 season after six successful years in Boston as a pitcher and outfielder. He was sold by the Boston owner, Harry Frazee, to pay off loans, and this was the beginning of what many have called "The Curse of The Bambino". It took 86 years for Boston to win another World Series after winning with Ruth in 1918. The New York Yankees' dominance was unprecedented over these years, with pennants, championships, and statistics that would be unequaled by any sports team in history.
Boston did have some memorable moments during the years of Yankee supremacy. The Red Sox nearly edged out the Yankees for the pennant in 1949 when they only had to win one of their two remaining games against the Bronx Bombers. They were defeated in both games and the Yankees went on to start a streak of five consecutive World Series championships.
The Red Sox appeared to be a lock for the pennant in 1978, but the season ended in an epic battle with the Yanks prevailing in a one game playoff. Many great Red Sox players such as Yastrzemski, Rice, Fisk, and Lynn were part of this exciting, but losing effort. Unfortunately, this would prove to be the last opportunity for these talented players to win a World Series. Boston would finally break the curse in 2004!
Boston won the first World Series in 1903 as the Americans, before changing their name to the Red Sox in 1908. The Yankees, who were known as the Highlanders in the early days, met the Boston Americans in 1904 in a season ending battle for the pennant. Boston was victorious in that game, which was the only time that these two teams met in the final game of a season, due to a World Series not being played that year.
Babe Ruth arrived in New York for the 1920 season after six successful years in Boston as a pitcher and outfielder. He was sold by the Boston owner, Harry Frazee, to pay off loans, and this was the beginning of what many have called "The Curse of The Bambino". It took 86 years for Boston to win another World Series after winning with Ruth in 1918. The New York Yankees' dominance was unprecedented over these years, with pennants, championships, and statistics that would be unequaled by any sports team in history.
Boston did have some memorable moments during the years of Yankee supremacy. The Red Sox nearly edged out the Yankees for the pennant in 1949 when they only had to win one of their two remaining games against the Bronx Bombers. They were defeated in both games and the Yankees went on to start a streak of five consecutive World Series championships.
The Red Sox appeared to be a lock for the pennant in 1978, but the season ended in an epic battle with the Yanks prevailing in a one game playoff. Many great Red Sox players such as Yastrzemski, Rice, Fisk, and Lynn were part of this exciting, but losing effort. Unfortunately, this would prove to be the last opportunity for these talented players to win a World Series. Boston would finally break the curse in 2004!
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