The Boston Red Sox are World Series champions. Sounds kind of strange, huh? For Sox fans, this was one crazy rollercoaster ride; however, for every sports fan, and even those who are not fans, the numbers and coincidences surrounding this feat are quite strange.
You see, the Boston Red Sox World Series run did not start when the team rallied to tie the game against Mariano Rivera. This magical run started way back on a day Yankee fans would love to forget. Remember the 23-0 shellacking the Cleveland Indians laid on those Yankees? On the same day, a 16-year-old Red Sox fan was hit in the mouth by a fly ball at Fenway Park and lost a tooth. You are probably asking what this has to do with anything right now. This kid losing his tooth is relevant because he lived in Babe Ruth’s old house. Conveniently enough, he was at the game with a friend who has the last name Lowe, and a brother named Derrick.
Just one night earlier, during game 3, Cardinal’s back-up catcher Yadier Molina was shown on tv sweeping the bullpen. Edgar Renteria grounded out to end the game. Strangely, Renteria shares the number three with Babe Ruth, the player that supposedly began the 86-year curse.
During the series, Curt Schilling became the first pitcher to win a W.S. game with three different teams. Mark Bellhorn became the first second-baseman to hit a home run in three consecutive post-season games. Derrick Lowe recorded a win in all three of the series clinching games. His post season stats? 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA(18 and 86 are both present in the stat). Strange how that number three keeps popping up.
Funny how the Celtics won their first title against St. Louis, the Bruins ended a 30 year title drought against St. Louis, the Patriots won their first Super Bowl against St. Louis, and now the Sox beat St. Louis to reverse the curse (coincidentally, this was the third time the two had met in the W.S.).
Notice that the Sox won game 4, 3-0? Or that when Gabe Kapler (right field) and Johnny Damon (center field) stand next to each other their numbers read 1918? Or that in the ALCS, both teams combined to score 86 runs? How about the fact that Trot Nixon had 3 doubles in game four? Or that Keith Foulke notched 3 saves in the W.S.?
All numbers considered, what we just witnessed will be known as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, feat in sports history. The Sox 86’ed the curse that had been plaguing the team for 86 years (yet another coincidence). Just remember, 1918 + 24 (Manny Ramirez) + 34 (David Ortiz) + 33 (Jason Varitek) – 5 (Nomar) = 2004.
