Red Sox Nation

Red Sox Nation is a term given to fans of the Boston Red Sox. The phrase "Red Sox Nation" was first used by Boston Globe feature writer Nathan Cobb in an October 20, 1986 article about split allegiances among fans in Connecticut during the 1986 World Series. The phrase was popularized by the 1996 book At Fenway: Dispatches From Red Sox Nation () by Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy. The term has since been become a commercial trademark of the Boston Red Sox. It is also widely copied both inside and outside sports, e.g. "NASCAR Nation", to describe various subcultures.

Dates and games of significance to Red Sox Nation

• 1918 World Series: The last World Series won by the Red Sox prior to October 27, 2004, in which the Red Sox, led by pitcher Babe Ruth, defeated the Chicago Cubs.
• 1967 "Impossible Dream" Season: Arguably, this season marks the beginning of the current fascination with the Red Sox and the birth of the modern Red Sox Nation. After numerous abysmal years, the '67 Sox, led by triple crown winner Carl Yastrzemski, stunned observers by winning the American League pennant. Ultimately, these Sox lost the 1967 World Series to a St. Louis Cardinals team anchored by Hall-of-Famer Bob Gibson.
• 1975 World Series: In one of the most thrilling and closely-contested of contemporary professional baseball championship events, the Red Sox lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, a powerhouse team known as the Big Red Machine and featuring future Hall of Fame players Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan. As so often in their storied history, the Red Sox provided the iconic moment of the Series in a losing effort when their own future Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk hit an extra-innings home run in Game Six. The Red Sox lost the Series in Game Seven after Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee gave up a home run on his trademark Eephus pitch.
• 1978 AL East Playoff: After squandering the 14 game lead they held over the Yankees on July 18 and falling behind New York in the standings, Boston rallied down the stretch and tied New York on the final day of the season to force a one-game playoff at Fenway Park for the AL East crown on October 2. Boston took a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning when Bucky Dent, a career .240 hitter with just 4 home runs all season, hit a three-run home run over the Green Monster off Sox pitcher Mike Torrez to give the Yankees a lead they would not relinquish. The Yankees won the game, 5-4, to advance to the American League Championship Series, where they defeated the Kansas City Royals, and ultimately the World Series, where the Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, capping one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history and another heartbreaking chapter in the Red Sox saga.
• 1986 World Series: A heartbreaking moment for Boston fans, the Red Sox lost Game Six of the World Series following an error by Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner. Prior to Buckner's error, the Red Sox had come within one out of winning the game and, thus, the World Championship. Following Buckner's error, the Red Sox lost the 1986 World Series to the New York Mets in seven games, four games to three. Buckner subsequently became the local scapegoat for all the woes of the Red Sox since 1918, to the extent that his career was ruined, his family suffered some verbal and psychological harassment, and he was essentially run out of town.
• 2003 ALCS: The Red Sox came within five outs of advancing to the 2003 World Series, but questionable managerial decisions led to the Yankees tying the game and eventually winning the series on Aaron Boone's home run in extra innings.
• 2004 ALCS: The Yankees won the first three games of the series, but then the Red Sox followed with four straight victories, thereby becoming the first Major League Baseball team ever to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three. The series is most remembered for David Ortiz's clutch hitting to win games four and five in extra innings, Curt Schilling's gutsy pitching performance in the sixth game, with his injured ankle bleeding through his sock, and Derek Lowe shutting down the Yankees in Yankee Stadium on two days' rest to win the deciding game.
• 2004 World Series: The Red Sox won the World Series sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in four games and causing raucous celebration in New England and the Nation at large. Significantly, this victory represents the end of the alleged "Curse of the Bambino." (see above)
• 2005 Final Series of the Season vs. the Yankees: The Red Sox play the Yankees on the final weekend of the season to decide who wins the AL East title. Boston hasn't won a division title in 10 years and again faces its arch nemesis for a do-or-die match-up.