MLB's only 0-3 comeback
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Prior to 2004, the last time the Boston Red Sox won a World Series was 1918. The Red Sox still had Babe Ruth before selling him to the New York Yankees two years later; this led to what many believed to be preventing the Red Sox from ever winning again, the Curse of the Bambino. It felt like ending the curse would take a miracle, and Boston needed a miracle in the 2004 ALCS.
The Sox were down 0-3 against the Yankees in the Championship Series. No MLB team had ever come back to win a series after being down by three games. In the ninth inning of game 4, Boston was down by one with the legendary closer, Mariano Rivera pitching. The Red Sox would tie the game and eventually win in extras. They would win the next three and then beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series to end the curse.
Quotes
I think that there’s no room for negativity once you get there,...Every single thought has to be in a positive way, every single one, so you can bounce out of it.
David Ortiz
Being 3-0, you’ve got two choices: You either quit or you go back out, and in professional sports, once you get to that point, there’s no way to quit,
David Ortiz
Related Media
Now I Can Die in Peace: How The Sports Guy Found Salvation Thanks to the World Champion (Twice!) Red Sox
Bill Simmons's revised book after the Red Sox's 2004 World Series win
Reversing the Curse: Inside the 2004 Boston Red Sox
A book bringing behind the scenes access to the 2004 Red Sox
References
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October 20, 2004: ‘Hell freezes over’; Red Sox complete historic ALCS comeback over Yankees in Game 7
The third of the three losses hadn’t even been close: a crushing 19-8 defeat at Fenway Park. No team had ever come back and won a best-of-seven series after losing the first three. The year before — 2003 — the Sox had at least taken the Yankees to Game Seven, but Boston lost that one in extra innings.
SABR
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Baseball's Greatest Miracle: The 2004 Red Sox Comeback Against the Yankees
A team with the reputation as baseball's biggest losers in big games not only beat the exalted Yankees, they did it after spotting them a three game advantage.
Bleacher Report
