The first time I ever went to see a professional baseball game was in 1961 with my Dad and Uncle. I was 5 years old. We sat in the centerfield bleacher seats at Fenway Park watching the Red Sox take on their dreaded enemy (even then), the New York Yankees. Besides nearly burning down my maternal grandmother’s house in London, this may be one of my earliest memories. Even though I didn’t know what it meant at the time, I will never forget that Mickey Mantle was in centerfield for the Yankees that game. To this day, my Dad is most commonly known by friends and family as Mick or Mickey, quite an odd nickname for an Italian who immigrated to the U.S. in the 50’s. Having him point out that he and the greatest player of his time shared the same odd nickname is something I will never forget.

The Yankees won the World Series in 1961 while the Red Sox floundered through the season with their rookie left fielder and later hall of famer, Carl Yastrzemski. This is how it went for years. The Red Sox defined mediocrity while the Yankees just kept winning World Series after Word Series. They were Roadrunner and we were Wile E. Coyote. The Yankees were fillet Mignon and the Red Sox were mayonnaise sandwiches. But that never stopped Red Sox nation from the eternal hope of “wait until next year.” It was how we were programmed, part of our DNA. Someday, someday soon, the Red Sox would win it all.

Our beloved Sox last won the World Series in 1918. For a few years, Red Sox fans rose from our holes only to be pounded back into darkness like the penny arcade game. Finally in 2004, the Red Sox won the World Series ending an 86 year drought. I called my Dad just past midnight on the night the Sox won and he answered the phone with, “I never thought I’d see it happen.” But he did and has seen it happen again just last season. Could it happen again? Are we falling victim to our own prosperity?

This year, the Red Sox were competitive again. In our first playoff series against the not-really in LA Angels, we dominated. Everyone thought that we would be skating into the Word Series again. The noise you hear now is squealing tires and over heating brakes. Not so fast, Red Sox Nation. The Tampa Bay “you can call me” Rays have manhandled the Red Sox over four games and now lead this playoff series 3-1. Will the World Series be out of reach this year?

This may be entirely wishful thinking but I want to remind all of you from Red Sox Nation that in 2004, the Sox were down 3-1 in the American League Championship series against the Yankees. The same exact thing happened last year against Cleveland. This is an example of Red Sox blind faith but one that has been well rewarded recently. Right now, Tampa Bay looks invincible but you have to keep the faith. After all, it’s what you have been doing your whole life. Why stop now.

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