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Red Sox To Honor 2004 Championship Team & Wakefield Family

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Boston is one of the most passionate towns in terms of sports teams. No team encapsulates the city quite like the Boston Red Sox. Even after the Celtics’ championships and the beginning of what would become a 20-year Patriots’ dynasty, the Red Sox remained the number-one team in New England heading into 2004. 86 years had passed since the Red Sox last brought home a championship to Boston. The ghosts of the past had haunted them for years. The sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees set off a domino effect throughout sports. The Yankees became the dominant team in baseball and the face of sports, while the Red Sox entered decades of misery. Still, it was the belief by the fans that the Red Sox could bring it home one day. In 2004, they did the impossible and finally won the World Series. Now, the team will be honored after 20 years, and with a heavy heart.

Red Sox To Honor 2004 Team & Wakefield Family

It’s hard to believe 20 years have passed since the memorable 2004 Red Sox won Boston’s first World Series since 1918. They did it with good pitching, baserunning, and power at the plate. It was a season that began with championship dreams. In 2003, they lost to the Yankees in the ALCS in seven games after Aaron Boone’s walk-off home run. It was the second time the Yankees had beaten the Red Sox to get to a World Series in the last five years (The Yankees defeated the Red Sox in five games in 1999). They even lost out on Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees in the offseason. At the 2004 trade deadline, Boston made a controversial move. General Manager Theo Epstein traded Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs. The trade featured the Red Sox, Cubs, Montreal Expos, and Minnesota Twins. Boston would receive Orlando Cabrera from Montreal and Doug Mientkiewicz from Minnesota.

Boston won the American League Wild Card as the Yankees again won the American League East. The whole baseball world seemed to know that an ALCS rematch was coming. The Red Sox and Yankees won their respective ALDS, which set up one of the most memorable moments in MLB history. The Yankees went up 3-0 against Boston, but somehow, the Red Sox did the unthinkable and came back to defeat New York in seven games. They were highlighted by a pair of David Ortiz walk-offs in Games 4 and 5. They then swept the St. Louis Cardinals to win the World Series.

 

A Special Day At Fenway

 

 

On Monday, the Red Sox announced they will honor the 2004 team at their home opener on April 9th against the Baltimore Orioles. They will also celebrate the life and legacy of both Tim and Stacy Wakefield. Tim passed away on October 1st, 2023, due to a seizure from brain cancer. Last February, Stacy passed away due to pancreatic cancer. The team will wear Wakefield’s number 49 patch all season on their sleeve. The patch is shaped like a heart commemorating Wakefield’s role as honorary chairman of the Red Sox Foundation.

 

The Red Sox will also give out a heart-shaped Tim Wakefield number 49 pin to every fan attending the game.

 

 

Main Photo Credits: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The post Red Sox To Honor 2004 Championship Team & Wakefield Family appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.