Red Sox Greatest Hits

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Doesn't have to be the most important, what are some of your favorite Red Sox hits you experienced in your fandom?

This one will always be my favorite. Just when it seemed like the Red Sox fortunes were going to go the way they usually do, Ortiz steps up and silences New York

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyFhFtLsa-k


Trot Nixon breaks a scoreless tie in the toilet
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIggAozU5D4


One of my earliest memories, Yaz's 400th
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmD0vMnnjuA
 

Minneapolis Millers

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Jul 15, 2005
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Ooooh, I’ve got plenty. Let’s continue the Yaz theme: View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuxpHJTP1Gg

I was listening on the radio to every game, living in Maryland. I had to put the old Panasonic in the doorway of the bedroom to get reception!

Took a loooong time for Yaz to get it. Past Randolph, Reggie walked the ball in. When I saw the replay, I remember thinking it was nice of Randolph not to dive!
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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^^ are you kidding me what'd you beat me by 2 seconds

Probably my #1. In 2004 I was in Asia and not able to enjoy it directly. I was in college for this, and knew this was out of the park before the ball even made it past the pitcher.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn5HqXA0xHw
My favorite part about this one remains watching Dennis Drinkwater (front row, blue windbreaker) absolutely bolt out of his seat and head for the exit the moment Manny made contact. Everyone else around him is already on their feet before the pitch, but he's sitting in his seat right until the swing, at which point he's racing for the stairs.
 

donutogre

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Not going to lie, Manny's walk-off in game 2 of the 2007 ALDS was one of the first things that popped into my mind. There are obviously other hits that are more significant in the Sox history, but it was just so ICONIC. Fucking crushed. And the photos that came out of it really helped cement it as one of the noteworthy hits that pop into my mind.

I love this version of it, because the crowd is in focus, rather than Manny. Everyone just making that same arms-raised gesture is just so fucking great.

 

Seels

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Not going to lie, Manny's walk-off in game 2 of the 2007 ALDS was one of the first things that popped into my mind. There are obviously other hits that are more significant in the Sox history, but it was just so ICONIC. Fucking crushed. And the photos that came out of it really helped cement it as one of the noteworthy hits that pop into my mind.

I love this version of it, because the crowd is in focus, rather than Manny. Everyone just making that same arms-raised gesture is just so fucking great.

Been my screensaver on everything since that day.

Yea there are other more iconic moments. I don't remember another moment except 'the steal' that I remember exactly what I was doing, the exact conversation I was having, etc.
I miss Manny.
 

snowmanny

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I suppose you could pick some other grand slam from this series but my oh my for the pennant!
 

Hank Scorpio

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Papi’s grand slam in game 2 of the 2013 ALCS.

I was at the game, and once Papi came to the plate as the tying run, it was a foregone conclusion. Every one of us in the bleachers seemed to just know what was going to happen next. And then it did. And although we all saw it coming, we still couldn’t believe it. I’ve been to dozens of games, and I never seen the park go so crazy. I high-fived a bunch of total strangers, and the lady next to me latched on to me in a surprise hug. No idea who she was either.

Damon’s grand slam in 2004 was the other greatest hit for me. That one gave me chills. Joe Castiglione’s call was the perfect combination of excitement, euphoria, and when the ball finally went, he exclaimed “Grand Slam, Johnny Damon!” in what sounded not only like pure joy, but also complete disbelief. Papi’s home run in the first was great, but this one let you breathe. This one made you realize “holy shit, this is going to happen...”

Overlooked honorable mention: Shane Victorino’s grand slam in game 6 of the 2013 ALCS. I really liked Shane and what he brought to the team. I wish he had stayed healthy and put up a few solid years with us. Sucks he broke down and got trade away for nothing. (Edit: maybe not so overlooked...)
 

Seels

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Papi’s grand slam in game 2 of the 2013 ALCS.
Part of what I loved about that Is Torii Hunter face first in the bullpen, with bullpen cop with his arms up. I hated Torii Hunter though, which makes this all that much more sweet.
 

snowmanny

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Papi’s grand slam in game 2 of the 2013 ALCS.

I was at the game, and once Papi came to the plate as the tying run, it was a foregone conclusion. Every one of us in the bleachers seemed to just know what was going to happen next. And then it did. And although we all saw it coming, we still couldn’t believe it. I’ve been to dozens of games, and I never seen the park go so crazy. I high-fived a bunch of total strangers, and the lady next to me latched on to me in a surprise hug. No idea who she was either.
I was in the bleachers too and that's about right. It felt as if the only hope was to get it to Ortiz and then everyone will see what happens next. But it is still shocking when it actually happens. I've said this before but the parallel moment to me was the Bird steal in '87: the game is lost, the series is done, but everyone in that building had belief because of who was on the floor.
 

OBPercent1

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I was in the bleachers too and that's about right. It felt as if the only hope was to get it to Ortiz and then everyone will see what happens next. But it is still shocking when it actually happens. I've said this before but the parallel moment to me was the Bird steal in '87: the game is lost, the series is done, but everyone in that building had belief because of who was on the floor.
Same here, I was at the game with 3 lifelong friends. Park was all but dead.
Papi’s grand slam in game 2 of the 2013 ALCS.

I was at the game, and once Papi came to the plate as the tying run, it was a foregone conclusion. Every one of us in the bleachers seemed to just know what was going to happen next. And then it did. And although we all saw it coming, we still couldn’t believe it. I’ve been to dozens of games, and I never seen the park go so crazy. I high-fived a bunch of total strangers, and the lady next to me latched on to me in a surprise hug. No idea who she was either.

Damon’s grand slam in 2004 was the other greatest hit for me. That one gave me chills. Joe Castiglione’s call was the perfect combination of excitement, euphoria, and when the ball finally went, he exclaimed “Grand Slam, Johnny Damon!” in what sounded not only like pure joy, but also complete disbelief. Papi’s home run in the first was great, but this one let you breathe. This one made you realize “holy shit, this is going to happen...”

Overlooked honorable mention: Shane Victorino’s grand slam in game 6 of the 2013 ALCS. I really liked Shane and what he brought to the team. I wish he had stayed healthy and put up a few solid years with us. Sucks he broke down and got trade away for nothing. (Edit: maybe not so overlooked...)
I was at the game as well with 3 lifelong friends. The park was so quite up to that point, we were all waiting for something to happen. Just like you said once Papi got up with the bases juiced everyone knew he was going to do it. Then in fact he did it. We were sitting in the Rightfield boxes and the stadium exploded. It was literally shaking and mass chaos.

Every single person was in :

1. In shock that it happened
2. In utter disbelief at what they just say
3. Smug because they knew Papi would come through
4. Utterly euphoric that he did .
 

DJnVa

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You guys are obviously younger Sox fans. It's the Henderson homer and it's not even close for me. It had been eleven years since their last playoff appearance and they were one strike away from being out in 5 games. He had managed one homer in 54 ABs for the Sox that year and it was stunning that he came through.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0QOyhcIZQzo
I was gonna post this one. My dad called this HR.

Also, those empty seats in postseason game. For shame California.
 

RG33

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You guys are obviously younger Sox fans. It's the Henderson homer and it's not even close for me. It had been eleven years since their last playoff appearance and they were one strike away from being out in 5 games. He had managed one homer in 54 ABs for the Sox that year and it was stunning that he came through.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0QOyhcIZQzo
I can't see this clip without hearing the background theme music from the Red Sox 1986 yearbook video ("duhn duhn duhn, duhn duhn . . . . duhn, da, da, na, na, nahh.. . . . )

EDIT:

Found it -- Hendu HR at the 40:20 minute mark. I LOVED and HATED this video as a kid -- watched it like 500 times. Still gives me chills. . . . . and ends in despair. I would suggest eschewing 54:40 minute mark. . . . .

View: https://youtu.be/qv-CUDp1kVo
 
Last edited:

Savin Hillbilly

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The wrong side of the bridge....
Found it -- Hendu HR at the 40:20 minute mark. I LOVED and HATED this video as a kid -- watched it like 500 times. Still gives me chills. . . . . and ends in despair. I would suggest eschewing 54:40 minute mark. . . . .

View: https://youtu.be/qv-CUDp1kVo
Oh my god, that's hilarious. Both the music and the VO sound like they were pulled from a rejected "daytime drama" pilot. (I half expect the narrator to say "As sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our Sox.") Holy crap that was another era.
 

Humphrey

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I hate watching Game 7 even more.

Instead of Boyd (because the asshole sulked, went out and got drunk) and Clemens for an inning, McNamara went with Schiraldi (had no pitches left in his arm) and Nipper. Case closed.
 

Earthbound64

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mwonow

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Dewey's Got A Gun

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You guys are obviously younger Sox fans. It's the Henderson homer and it's not even close for me. It had been eleven years since their last playoff appearance and they were one strike away from being out in 5 games. He had managed one homer in 54 ABs for the Sox that year and it was stunning that he came through.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0QOyhcIZQzo
Seems like a good place for my first post. Had relatives here in Boston (my parents originally from here) and when the Senators left DC for Texas I had to choose another team. I went with the Reds because of the Big Red Machine, but then leaned toward Boston after going to a couple of games at Fenway with my Uncle. I was really a fan of both in '75 (i know, I know--I was 13!) Then I moved here in '84 and fell in love with the team and Gammons' writing and I was hooked forever when '86 came along. I remember being in the 1369 jazz club in Cambridge on a Sunday afternoon with my brother visiting. They had a Blues Brunch there but had the game on the TV in the background. There was this young kid playing guitar and he was amazing. He was going nuts and the Sox were losing, but all of a sudden people started paying more attention to the screen than the kid ( Baylor's HR), even though he was jamming away. He could sense the Sox stealing his thunder and he started doing crazy tricks, playing behind his back, etc. Meanwhile Sox are rallying and then Henderson hits his HR and the place just explodes and the kid finally gives up. The combo of the baseball game and the kid playing guitar and the jam packed bar, sunlight streaming in the open door from Inman Sq. I knew right then I was a fan for life of both the Sox and the city. I never did find out who that kid was.
 

tims4wins

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I've been to every playoff game at Fenway in the last 20 years and that's the loudest I've ever heard the place.
I was there too, along with my 15 year old sister. I remember after all the wild jumping and hugging strangers she had tears streaming down her face. She never really cared much about the Sox until then. Sometime during the drive home from the game she said something along the lines of “now I see why you care so much, and now I see that you and dad and your brother aren’t just some random crazies”.
 

curly2

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This will probably the softest hit here (since I couldn't find Gary Allenson's walk off-bunt) but this hit basically sealed the East for the Sox in 1988. They led the Yankees by four games but trailed 9-5 after six. They got a run in the seventh, one in the eighth and had one in the ninth before Wayne Tolleson and Willie Randolph decided neither one wanted this.

 

Bunt4aTriple

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I was there too, along with my 15 year old sister. I remember after all the wild jumping and hugging strangers she had tears streaming down her face. She never really cared much about the Sox until then. Sometime during the drive home from the game she said something along the lines of “now I see why you care so much, and now I see that you and dad and your brother aren’t just some random crazies”.
Why did she say "your" brother?
 

Kliq

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I guess it is three hits. This is personally memorable because I was talking to a friend after the Sox acquired Steve Pearce that he might be a big pickup for them. My friend, who isn't a Sox fan, thought I was joking. One summer night we were playing Playstation and I had the game on in the background, and Pearce goes off and CRUSHES three bombs against the Yankees. It was funny giving my friend updates on Pearce's exploits. By the third homer I just ended a sentence by saying "...oh by the way, Steve Pearce just hit one off of the light tower."

This clip unfortunately does not contain the Rem gem after the second home run. IIRC, this was the game Cora got thrown out super quickly and there was some bad blood, with the umpire warning both benches. Pearce is the next batter and he hits the ball 700 feet and Remy deadpans "You better warn somebody that Steve Pearce is coming to the plate."

I dare you to watch this clip and not smile.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS5GftMqfMw