Synopses & Reviews
For nearly a century, the Boston Red Sox played the underdog to the indomitable New York Yankees in what ESPN named the number-one sports rivalry of all time. But in 2004 the snakebitten Sox finally got their revenge. After Aaron Boone's history-making Homeric blast, which sent the Red Sox packing in October 2003, and the infamous deal that put A-Rod, baseballand#8217;s highest-paid player, in pinstripes, the age-old rivalry escalated to dizzying new heights. The result was a season in which a plucky team of comeback kids improbably brought down the House That Ruth Built and went on to right eighty-six years of jinxed history by winning Boston's first World Series since 1918. From right on the frontlines, from the front office to the bleachers, Dan Shaughnessy goes inside to chronicle this unforgettable journey, revealing how a self-described band of "idiots" was able to accomplish what eighty-five teams before it couldn't -- or didn't. We witness the colorful antics of baseballand#8217;s best-known stars, the dramatic play on the field punctuated by bench-clearing brawls, and the cold war-style battle being waged behind the scenes. We sit alongside young Theo Epstein as he tries to settle in to one of baseball's most scrutinized jobs. We watch with the Red Sox brass into the wee hours of the night as the Yankees come almost unbearably close (again) to squashing Sox dreams. We join the players on the wild ride to redemption, replete with Jesus in the outfield, a lunar eclipse, and a bloodied sock on the mound. We also come to understand in an intimate way what itand#8217;s like to be caught up in all of this as a fan. With lively reporting, penetrating insight, and a keen sense of history, Shaughnessy brings the 2004 season alive in all its glory, drama, and euphoria, definitively recounting a sports saga that will long be etched in the minds and hearts of baseball fans around the world.
Synopsis
For more than eighty-five years, the Boston Red Sox have been the underdog in what ESPN named the number-one sports rivalry of all time. But in 2004 the snakebitten Sox finally got their revenge. After the stunning 2003 postseason matchup, which sent the Red Sox packing in history-making fashion, and the infamous deal that landed A-Rod, baseball"s highest-paid player, in pinstripes, the age-old rivalry escalated to dizzying new heights. The result was a season in which a plucky team of comeback kids improbably brought down the House That Ruth Built and a sports story that will long be etched in the minds and hearts of baseball fans around the world.
From right on the sidelines, Dan Shaughnessy chronicles this unforgettable season and what it means to those involved, from the Bronx to the Hub, the front office to the bleachers. We witness the colorful antics of baseball"s best-known stars, the dramatic play on the field punctuated by bench-clearing brawls and the cold war–style battle being waged behind the scenes. We also come to understand in an intimate way what it"s like to be a fan. With lively reporting, penetrating insight, and a keen sense of history, Shaughnessy brings the 2004 season alive in all its glory, drama, and garishness. Here, in the course of one season, is the essence of a rivalry that turns everyday sports into the stuff of legend.
Synopsis
Reversing the Curse preserves one of the greatest sports stories of our lifetime for all posterity with an absorbing account of the Red Soxand#8217;s championship season. A more epic sports saga could not have been invented: here we have the curse that began with Babe Ruth; a team of comeback kids determined to prove their mettle; the Yankees-Sox rivalry, one of the greatest in sports history; and, finally, the first World Series victory for the Sox since 1918.
Dan Shaughnessy captures the Sox triumph in all its drama and euphoria with penetrating insight, a keen sense of history, and unparalleled insider access. With photographs by the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Stan Grossfeld, Reversing the Curse is the definitive record of a landmark moment in baseball history.
About the Author
Dan Shaughnessy is an award-winning columnist for the Boston Globe and the author of several sports books, including The Curse of the Bambino, a best-selling classic. Seven times Shaughnessy has been voted one of Americaand#8217;s top ten sports columnists by Associated Press Sports Editors and named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year. He has appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Early Show, CNN, Nightline, NPR, Imus in the Morning, ESPN, HBO, and many others. He lives in Newton, Massachusetts.
Table of Contents
CONTENTS
1. The Moon and the Stars 1 2. Damn Yankees Again 14 3. A-Rod A-Yankee 31 4. Spring Break for Young Theo 51 5. Pieces of April 78 6. Pedro and Johnny 103 7. Summertime Blues 119 8. No, No, Nomar 135 9. Light in August 152 10. Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves 161 11. Senor Octubre 174 12. When the Yankees Really Did Suck 186 14. No More Curse 212 15. Now What? 231 Acknowledgments 239 Bibliography 241 Index 242