This year, the Red Sox organization gets to celebrate
two championships from the past—the 50th anniversary of the 1967 'Impossible Dream' AL Pennant winners and the 10th anniversary 2007 World Series champs. It's not a stretch to say that
'Red Sox Nation' as it exists today was born during that magical 1967 season. It was the first time in over two decades that fans truly felt that
The Carmine Hose could win. And, the team had lovable characters:
Carl 'Yaz' Yastrzemski (actually,
beloved, but not lovable);
George 'Boomer' Scott,
Ken 'Hawk' Harrelson,
Rico Petrocelli,
Jim Lonborg and
Tony Conigliaro. By contrast, the 2007 champs were almost
clinical in their style. They led wire-to-wire and mowed down opponents with a cold efficiency that almost seemed too easy. Don't get us wrong, 2007 had its characters, too (
Curt Schilling,
Kevin Youkilis,
Manny Ramirez,
David Ortiz), but it was a
different vibe. Fans—after expiating the ghosts of the past in 2004—were kind of blasé about it all. Two anniversaries—two quite different sets of players. Enjoy the celebrations!
