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.

Topics of particular significance to Red Sox Nation

• The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry: Red Sox Nation is rabidly averse to anything "Yankee," and it is not uncommon to walk through Boston or elsewhere in New England and see someone wearing a t-shirt with an obscene reference to one or more members of the Yankee club, or see a car pass by with a "Yankees Suck" bumper sticker.
• Curse of the Bambino: A purported curse on the team that was the single most important piece of Red Sox lore. The idea of a "Curse" was popularized in a book written by the Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy. The "Curse" was laid to rest with the Sox' victory in the 2004 World Series.
• Bucky (Bleeping) Dent's home run in the 1978 One-Game Playoff.
• Roger Clemens saga: The future Hall of Famer was once the Red Sox pitching ace, but he was purportedly belitted by then general manager Dan Duquette, leading Clemens to leave the Sox in free agency for the Toronto Blue Jays. Clemens subsequently had several successful seasons with the Yankees, including during the 2003 ALCS (see below). As of 2005, Clemens plays for the Houston Astros.
• Alex Rodriguez saga: Between the 2003 and 2004 seasons, the Red Sox sought to acquire Rodriguez, considered one of the greatest shortstops of all time, via a trade with the Texas Rangers. General Manager Theo Epstein and the Red Sox ownership tried desperately to consummate the A-Rod deal; however, problems arose in restructuring Rodriguez's mammoth contract and the trade fell apart after Red Sox Nation had built up massive expectations. Adding insult to injury, on February 14, the Rangers traded A-Rod to the hated Yankees, who spent whatever money was necessary to make the trade work. Furthermore, the deal, which would have sent Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramírez to different teams, fatally damaged Nomar's relationship with team ownership (see Nomar entry below). A-Rod has subsequently been at the center of the Sox/Yanks rivalry and played a substantial role in the Yankees blowing their 3-0 lead in the 2004 ALCS.
• Pedro Martínez free agency: After being a key part of the 2004 World Series championship team, Pedro became a free agent. There was much speculation that he would end up signing with the hated Yankees, one of the few teams with the financial means to do so, and he did eventually end up in New York—as a member of the Mets. Pedro immediately went on to verbally bash many members of the Red Sox organization, ranging from Theo Epstein to Terry Francona to Curt Schilling, damaging his reputation in Boston and its ferocious sports media.