"It started with Babe Ruth. Or maybe with Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. It increased in ferocity with Thurman Munson and Carlton Fisk and reached its apex with Derek Jeter and David Ortiz. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have long been adversaries, although the rivalry has admittedly cooled off from that pinnacle of animosity 21 years ago."
"Before we get to Game 7, let's backtrack a moment. By 2003, the Red Sox and Yankees played 19 regular-season games a year in MLB's unbalanced schedule -- and each one felt like its own little mini war. It's difficult to describe the emotions of these games in this era -- not just from the players, but the desperation among Red Sox fans intertwined with the winning arrogance of Yankees fans."
The Yankees–Red Sox rivalry traces back to early stars like Babe Ruth and intensified through mid-century figures, peaking with players such as Derek Jeter and David Ortiz. The rivalry cooled somewhat since its early-2000s apex but remains heated during postseason meetings. The teams met in a wild-card best-of-three with all games at Yankee Stadium, after the Red Sox won the regular-season series 9-4 and the Yankees surged late in the season. The 2003 ALCS exemplified the rivalry's intensity, featuring bench-clearing brawls, Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens confrontations, the infamous Don Zimmer toss, and Aaron Boone's Game 7 walk-off.
Read at ESPN.com
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