query: when did red sox start playing sweet caroline

pos: Sweet Caroline "Good times never seemed so good," the crowd sings "So good, so good, so good." This pattern is repeated whenever the chorus is played. The song has been played at Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, since at least 1997, and in the middle of the eighth inning at every game since 2002. On opening night of the 2010 season at Fenway Park, the song was performed by Diamond himself. It is also an unofficial song of the National Football League's Carolina Panthers (played following a victory) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,

neg: Boston Red Sox 820 games (794 regular season) for a major professional sports record. Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" has become an anthem for the Red Sox. The name "Red Sox", chosen by owner John I. Taylor after the 1907 season, refers to the red hose in the team uniform beginning in 1908. "Sox" had been previously adopted for the Chicago White Sox by newspapers needing a headline-friendly form of "Stockings", as "Stockings Win!" in large type did not fit in a column. The team name "Red Sox" had previously been used as early as 1888 by a 'colored' team from Norfolk, Virginia. The

neg: Chicago White Sox known for her songs playing on the names of opposing players (such as Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" for Pete Incaviglia). Her many years with the White Sox established her as one of the last great stadium organists. Since 2011, Lori Moreland has served as the White Sox organist. Similar to the Boston Red Sox with "Sweet Caroline" (and two songs named "Tessie"), and the New York Yankees with "Theme from New York, New York", several songs have become associated with the White Sox over the years. They include: The Chicago Cubs are the crosstown rivals of the White Sox, a rivalry

neg: Music at sporting events often played or sung at major- or minor-league baseball games, typically during the seventh-inning stretch. At Fenway Park, Neil Diamond's song, "Sweet Caroline," is played during the eighth inning of Boston Red Sox home games, and has been a regular part of the program since 2002. Since 2006, "Sweet Caroline" has also played over the sound system during the middle of the eighth inning of New York Mets home games. Consequently, Diamond's hit single became a standing tradition after several years of playing it based upon the home-team's performance. The National Football League team, the Buffalo Bills, have been credited

neg: Wally the Green Monster being the Red Sox Mascot have come away from Fenway. Whether it is traveling to Fort Myers, Florida and jetBlue Park for Red Sox spring training or visiting other cities for special events, Wally is a well traveled monster. For example, this last December Wally was invited to Washington, D.C. to perform with Smokey Robinson in a tribute to a Red Sox favorite, and Music Legend, Neil Diamond (Writer/Performer of ""Sweet Caroline"") at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. When he was told that President Obama, his family, Mr. Diamond and many other celebrities would be in attendance, Wally knew

neg: Seventh-inning stretch sing the traditional "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in the seventh inning, several other teams will sing their local favorite between the top and bottom of the eighth inning. Boston Red Sox fans at Fenway Park, for example, sing along to Neil Diamond's recording of "Sweet Caroline". A notable occurrence happened in June 2011 when during the playing of the song, the city's NHL franchise, the Boston Bruins, captured the Stanley Cup following a 7-game series against the Vancouver Canucks, and many fans cheered after the announcement was made. Following the Boston Marathon bombing, several teams (including Boston's

neg: Boston Red Sox new version by Boston area band The Dropkick Murphys was featured in the 2005 film "Fever Pitch", which tells the story of an obsessive Red Sox fan. The song is frequently played after home wins and inspired the name of Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster's "sister" "Tessie". Their song "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" was used to signify the entrance of Boston's closing pitcher. Another song associated with the team and its fanbase is Neil Diamond's 1969 single "Sweet Caroline". The song was first introduced to Fenway Park in 1997. By 2002, its play had been established as

neg: Live at Fenway Park a member of Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. The album includes all of the songs in Buffett's "Big 8" songs that he nearly always performs in concert. Due to the location of the concert in the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, Buffett performed several related songs including baseball anthem "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," Red Sox' fan favorite "Sweet Caroline," originally by Neil Diamond, and "Respect," made popular by Aretha Franklin, alluding to the Red Sox success in 2004 (they would go on to win the 2004 World Series) after years of poor performance. Buffett

neg: Sweet Caroline April 16, 2013, the day after the Boston Marathon bombing, the New York Yankees – longtime rivals of the Red Sox – announced they would play the song during their home game, preceded by a moment of silence, as a tribute to the victims. On Saturday, April 20, 2013, during the 8th inning of the Red Sox-Kansas City game in Fenway Park, Neil Diamond led the crowd in a rendition of the song. The song was sung at sporting events across the country after the Boston Marathon bombings, in efforts to show solidarity with those affected by the tragedy. It

neg: Mike Lowell As a result, he spent several stints on the disabled list. The injury caused him to miss most of the 2008 playoffs, including the ALCS when the Red Sox lost to the Tampa Bay Rays. It also kept him from representing Puerto Rico in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. He did return to action with the Red Sox in 2009, though he saw reduced playing time at third base in order to keep him healthy and in playing condition. After the Red Sox acquired Victor Martinez in a midseason trade with the Cleveland Indians, Lowell's playing time was reduced, casting

neg: 2007 Boston Red Sox season the Red Sox postseason roster due to what Red Sox management determined was a fatigued arm. The season got off to a wonderful start. On April 22, 2007, in a game against the New York Yankees, the Red Sox hit four consecutive home runs for the first time in franchise history (and the fifth time in major league history), when Manny Ramírez, J. D. Drew, Mike Lowell, and Jason Varitek all hit home runs off Yankees pitcher Chase Wright. Drew also hit the second of four consecutive home runs the last time this happened, when the Los Angeles Dodgers did

neg: Roger Clemens His last games in each AL park were given extra attention, particularly his final regular season appearance in Fenway Park, when despite wearing the uniform of the hated arch rival, he was afforded a standing ovation by Red Sox fans as he left the field. (This spectacle was repeated when the Yankees ended up playing the Red Sox in the 2003 ALCS and Clemens got a second "final start" in his original stadium.) As part of a tradition of manager Joe Torre, Clemens was chosen to manage the Yankees' last game of the regular season. Clemens made one start in

neg: Boston Red Sox a nightly occurrence. It continues to be played at every home game during the 8th inning, sung along to by those in attendance. In 2007, Diamond revealed that the song was written for Caroline Kennedy, American diplomat and daughter of Boston icon President John F. Kennedy. Caroline Kennedy's great-grandfather, John F. Fitzgerald, threw Fenway Park's first ever ceremonial opening pitch on April 20, 1912. When Diamond was named a Kennedy Center Honors recipient in 2011, Red Sox executive assistant Claire Durant arranged for 80 Red Sox fans to travel to Washington for the ceremony, which culminated in them singing the

neg: Morgan Burkhart Boston Red Sox in 1998, playing for three different minor league levels before joining the Red Sox in June . In his rookie season, he hit .288 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 25 appearances, playing mostly as a backup for Brian Daubach. After the season, he made history in the Mexican Pacific League while playing for the Navojoa Mayos, when he homered from both sides of the plate in one game against Mazatlán. In 102 games, he hit .340 with 18 home runs and a .591 slugging percentage, including a 19-game hitting streak to start the season,

neg: 2012 Boston Red Sox season Minneapolis and taking the first three games of a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox, including scoring 9 runs in 5 innings against Philip Humber, who had thrown a perfect game in his previous start. In the end, the Red Sox closed out April with an 11-11 record. The second month of the season did not start well for the Red Sox, as they went winless over their first five games in May. The Red Sox dropped the latter two games of a three-game series against the Oakland A's and were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in a three-game

neg: Trot Nixon from the game. On October 1, 2006, with two outs in the fifth inning of the final game of the season, manager Terry Francona replaced Nixon in right field with rookie David Murphy. Knowing Nixon might be playing his final game with the Sox, the fans gave him a grateful ovation as he ran off the field. Said Nixon, when asked if it was difficult playing what may have been his last game for the Red Sox: After the 2006 season, the Red Sox did not offer Nixon salary arbitration as the team pursued and eventually signed free agent J.

neg: Clay Buchholz pitcher since 1900 to pitch a no-hitter in his first or second major league start. Bobo Holloman did it in his first start on May 6, 1953, for the St. Louis Browns at home against the Philadelphia Athletics, and Wilson Álvarez did it in his second start on August 11, 1991, for the Chicago White Sox at Baltimore. Buchholz became the 11th Red Sox pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Fenway Park history, and the seventeenth in Red Sox history. Following the game, general manager Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona each independently confirmed that they had spoken by phone

neg: Ryan Lavarnway became the first Red Sox player to homer in his first start at catcher since Danny Sheaffer in 1987, and the youngest to have a multi-home run game since Nomar Garciaparra did it at exactly the same age (24 years, 51 days) in 1997. On August 1, 2012, Lavarnway was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox when Daniel Nava was placed on the 15-day disabled list. On March 27, 2013, the Red Sox optioned Lavarnway to Pawtucket. Manager John Farrell said: "Right now he needs 'everyday' at-bats." Commenting on Lavarnway having been timed at 1.9 seconds throwing out a

neg: 2005 Boston Red Sox season fans as having the Red Sox lose Game 2 and eventually the American League Division Series. Red Sox ace Curt Schilling did not start a game in the American League Division Series after pitching in the last game of the season against the Yankees. 2005 Boston Red Sox season The 2005 Boston Red Sox season was the 105th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished second in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 67 losses, the same record as the New York Yankees. The Yankees were deemed the division winner,

neg: Harry Hooper in 77 games. His contract with Sacramento also provided him with work as a railroad surveyor when he was not playing baseball. Hooper did not know it at first, but his manager in Sacramento, Charles Graham, was a scout for the Boston Red Sox. Graham helped to arrange a meeting between Hooper and Red Sox owner John I. Taylor. Hooper was signed to a $2,800 contract with Boston. Breaking into the majors with the Red Sox in 1909, Hooper played in 81 games and hit .282. Between 1910 and 1915, he teamed with Tris Speaker (CF) and Duffy Lewis (LF)

neg: David Price (baseball) Game 2 of the Championship Series against the Houston Astros, which the Red Sox won, 7–5, with Price allowing four runs, five hits, and four walks in innings; he received a no decision as he did not complete the fifth inning. When Chris Sale became unavailable to start Game 5 of that series for health reasons, Price was called on to start again on only three days' rest, and earned the win, holding Houston scoreless through six innings while allowing just three hits and striking out nine. Winning 4–1, the Red Sox clinched their first trip to the World Series

neg: Fenway Park levels: the bottom level is the new "Dell EMC Club" featuring 406 seats and concierge services and the upper level, the State Street Pavilion, has 374 seats and a dedicated standing room area. The added seats are wider than the previous seats. The Red Sox's one-time cross-town rivals, the Boston Braves used Fenway Park for the 1914 World Series and the 1915 season until Braves Field was completed; ironically, the Red Sox would then use Braves Field – which had a much higher seating capacity – for their own World Series games in 1915 and 1916. Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline"

neg: 1967 Boston Red Sox season vs. the Angels, and needed to win the second game to tie the Red Sox for first place. But their bullpen failed, and the Angels' Rick Reichardt hit a home run in an 8–5 Angel win. The Red Sox had won their first American League pennant in 21 years. Mayor of Boston John F. Collins declared October 3, the day before the start of the World Series, as "Boston Red Sox Day". Although the Red Sox did not complete the unbelievable task and lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1967 World Series, the overachieving club is considered among

neg: Dave Ferriss to asthma, Ferriss was assigned by the Red Sox to the Louisville Colonels, although he did not appear in a game with them. During his college years, Dave was credited with naming the "orange". When the Red Sox started slowly in 1945, Ferriss was called up and made a spectacular major league debut with a five-hit shutout against the Athletics on April 29. He went on to set a longstanding American League (AL) record for scoreless innings pitched at the start of a career with 22, which stood until 2008, when it was broken by Brad Ziegler. Ferriss compiled a

neg: 2007 Boston Red Sox season eleventh, with Éric Gagné, Javier López and Jon Lester giving up seven runs. The Red Sox failed to answer back, and lost Game 2, 13–6. The series was even headed to Cleveland. In Game 3, Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up 4 runs, and Jason Varitek provided the only Red Sox offense with a two-run homer in the seventh, as the Indians took the Jacobs Field opener, 4–2, for a 2–1 series lead. Game 4 did not start much better for the Red Sox, with a seven-run fifth inning that saw Manny Delcarmen allow four runs (two charged to starter Tim Wakefield).

neg: Marion Fricano bullpen job for the start of the season. He made five relief appearances (all in losses) before making his first start in the second game of a May 22 doubleheader with the Boston Red Sox. After surrendering a first inning home run to Hoot Evers, Fricano held the Sox scoreless. The score was tied at one when Fricano led off the eighth with a double, then stole third. He came around to score the go-ahead run on Eddie Robinson's sacrifice fly. The lead, however, did not last, as the A's bullpen allowed a ninth inning run to send the game

neg: Smoky Joe Wood "Bloomer Girls." There were many such teams across the country, which barnstormed in exhibition games against teams of men. Bloomer Girl rosters featured at least one male player. Red Sox star Ted Williams, as a guest on the Bill Stern's Sports Newsreel radio program in 1950, told the story that Wood was posing as a girl on a girls' team when The Red Sox signed him. The story ended: "The pitcher I'm talking about was the immortal Smoky Joe Wood. A pitcher who can never be forgotten even though he did get his start posing as a girl". After joining

neg: Ryan Kalish as he split the season between the Single-A Greenville Drive and Lancaster JetHawks, despite being awarded the Red Sox organization Player of the Month Award for July and being fifth in the Red Sox system with 19 stolen bases. After the season, he played for the North Shore Honu, in the Hawaii Winter League. In early 2009 he had a slow start, despite being named the organization's Base-stealer of the Month in April for stealing 7 bases in 8 attempts over 19 games while playing for Single-A Salem Red Sox, and being named the Carolina League's # 9 prospect. In

neg: Mia Hamm goals for her teammates, due to her accurate passing, and was also willing to aid her teammates defensively when possession was lost. She was capable of playing in any offensive position. Hamm was first married to her college sweetheart Christiaan Corry, a United States Marine Corps helicopter pilot; they divorced in 2001 after being married six years. She married then-Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra on November 22, 2003, in Goleta, California in a ceremony attended by a few hundred guests. On March 27, 2007, Hamm gave birth to twin girls, Grace Isabella and Ava Caroline. Though born five weeks

neg: Boston Red Sox Friends", which opened on Broadway in December 1919. "My Lady Friends" had, indeed, been financed by the Ruth sale to the Yankees. During that period, the Red Sox, Yankees and Chicago White Sox had a détente; they were called "Insurrectos" because their actions antagonized league president Ban Johnson. Although Frazee owned the Boston Red Sox franchise, he did not own Fenway Park (it was owned by the Fenway Park Trust), making his ownership a precarious one; Johnson could move another team into the ballpark. His club was in debt, but Frazee felt the need to purchase its playing site (which

neg: Golden Outfield playing balls off the cliff that it was nicknamed Duffy's Cliff. Lewis played with the Red Sox until 1917, and led the American League in sacrifice hits in 1912. He received MVP votes in 1914, finishing tied with Hooper at 20th overall in the voting. During his time with the Red Sox, he batted .286, with 1248 hits in 4325 at bats. Lewis has not been elected to the Hall of Fame, but did receive votes in several elections from 1937 through 1955. His best showing was in 1955 when he received 34 votes and 13.5% of the total, far

neg: No-hitter career major league start. During Alvarez's first career start, he had allowed three runs on a pair of home runs and did not retire a single batter. Unlike Jones and Holloman, Alvarez went on to win 102 games over a 16-year career. Clay Buchholz pitched a no-hitter for the Boston Red Sox in his second major league start on September 1, 2007 at Fenway Park. The game ended in a 10–0 victory for the Red Sox over the Baltimore Orioles. Unlike a perfect game, in which no batters reach base, in regular no-hitters batters can reach base in other ways,

neg: 2004 Boston Red Sox season killed by pitcher Jeff Suppan's baserunning gaffe. With no outs, Suppan should have scored easily from third on a Larry Walker ground ball to second baseman Bellhorn, who was playing back, conceding the run. But as Bellhorn threw out Walker at first base, Suppan inexplicably froze after taking several steps toward home and was thrown out by Sox first baseman David Ortiz as he scrambled back to third. The double play was devastating for St. Louis. The Red Sox needed one more game to win their first championship since the 1918 World Series. In Game Four the Red Sox did

neg: Pedro Martínez Red Sox, which was Martínez's first appearance at Fenway Park since leaving the team. The Red Sox gave their former ace a two-minute video tribute on June 27, but showed no courtesies to Martínez the following night. In his June 28, 2006 start, Martínez lasted only 3 innings, and was rocked for 8 runs (6 earned) on 7 hits, losing his worst game as a Met just before going onto the disabled list. It was Martínez's only career appearance against the Red Sox, the only Major League team against which he did not record a victory. In both the 2004

neg: History of the Boston Red Sox to win a best-of-seven games series after being down three games to none, as would the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers and 2014 Los Angeles Kings. The Red Sox faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series. The Cardinals had posted the best record in MLB in 2004, and had previously defeated the Red Sox in the and 1967 World Series. The Sox began the series when Ortiz hit a 3-run homer to start the night. However Boston made many errors which allowed St. Louis to tie the game 9-all. But in the 8th inning the Red Sox won 11–9,

neg: Build Me Up Buttercup AC/DC. The Los Angeles Angels play this song during the seventh-inning stretch, after "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"; fans most often sing along with it, much like "Sweet Caroline" with the Boston Red Sox and Pitt Panthers, as well as "New York, New York" with the New York Yankees. The song is also sung by fans and especially students during Wisconsin Badgers football and Boston College Eagles football games. In 1997, the song was used in the Philippine TV programmes "Growing Up" and "T.G.I.S." (GMA Network). The Orwells cover the song live very fast and often just the

neg: Josh Beckett in the 2012 season, he went 5–11 with a 5.23 ERA as a Red Sox. He was also the center of yet another controversy when it was reported that he played several rounds of golf despite having been scratched from his start due to a lat muscle injury. In what would turn out to be his final start with the Red Sox, he allowed four runs in six innings on August 19, 2012 against the Yankees. Over seven seasons, he started 194 regular season games for the Red Sox with a 89–58 record, a 4.17 ERA and 1,108 strikeouts. On

neg: Steve Lyons (baseball) February 1993, and was released in late March. Lyons again signed with Boston on May 7, 1993. With the 1993 Red Sox he appeared in 28 games, batting 3-for-23 (.130). He also appeared in 67 Triple-A games with Pawtucket. Lyons' final MLB game was on October 3, when he played right field and second base in a 14-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He became a free agent after the season, but did not continue his playing career. In parts of five seasons with the Red Sox, Lyons played in 328 games, batting .251 with 10 home runs and 63

neg: Jack Baker (baseball) 14-game career, Baker was a .115 hitter (3-for-26), including one home run, one run, and two RBI. His one home run was hit at Fenway Park in Boston when he was playing for the Boston Red Sox on September 23, 1976. Baker led off the last of the second by hitting a solo home run of the Milwaukee Brewers Bill Travers. The game was won by the Red Sox by a score of 10 to 3. During the midseason, Baker was traded to the Cleveland Indians but he did not play for them. Jack Baker (baseball) Jack Edward Baker (born

neg: 1975 Boston Red Sox season yet. The Red Sox fell out of first place in late April and didn't get back into it until the end of May. Lynn was bombing American League pitching and playing great center field, and Rice was clobbering the ball. But the Red Sox were winning a lot of high-scoring games which didn't augur well for pitching when the pennant race reached the dog days of August and September. In June, the Red Sox made what appeared to be a minor move to bolster the bench when they bought journeyman second baseman Denny Doyle from the California Angels. The Angels

neg: Matt Ginter Matt Ginter Matthew Shane Ginter (born December 24, 1977) is a former American professional baseball pitcher. After playing collegiately at Mississippi State, he started made his MLB debut in 2000 with the Chicago White Sox. He was signed by the Boston Red Sox to a minor league contract, and started 2006 pitching for the Pawtucket Red Sox. He had a strong start to the season, notably pitching eight innings of two-hit shutout baseball on April 23, and lowering his season ERA to 2.35 and his K/BB rate to 7. He was a strong candidate to be called up to the

neg: 2013 Boston Red Sox season weekend series (and sweep the doubleheader), as a result of Lorenzo Cain walking with two outs and bases loaded in the 10th inning. Even with both wins against the Red Sox on April 21, Boston remained in first place in the AL East as did Kansas City in the AL Central. Dustin Pedroia reached base in all their first 18 games, the most consecutive games to start a season by a Red Sox 2B (breaking the record set by Pete Runnels in 1959). Koji Uehara went 18 1/3 scoreless innings before allowing Billy Butler's homer in the eighth inning of

neg: Frank Rodriguez the New York Yankees logo. After Rodriguez advanced to Class A Lynchburg Red Sox, the Red Sox realized he had greater value as a pitcher, a position he quickly began playing. He made his major league debut for the Red Sox in 1995. Soon after, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins for closer Rick Aguilera. He did not pitch well for the Twins, posting a 25-32 record with the team in over three years of service. The Seattle Mariners claimed him off of waivers in May 1999. He played for the Mariners through the end of the 2000 season.

neg: Tris Speaker outfielder in . He hit .322 in . The Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1915 World Series. The Red Sox were led by pitcher Babe Ruth, who was playing in his first full season. Ruth won 18 games and hit a team-high four home runs. Speaker got five hits, including a triple, in 17 at-bats during the series. He scored twice but did not drive in any runs. After 1915, Red Sox president Joseph Lannin wanted Speaker to take a pay cut from about $15,000 (equal to $ today) to about $9,000 (equal to $ today) because

neg: 1988 Boston Red Sox season 1988 Boston Red Sox season The 1988 Boston Red Sox season was the 88th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished first in the American League East with a record of 89 wins and 73 losses, but were then swept by the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS. The 1988 team seemed to start much better than their chaotic 1987 season as evidenced by their 14-6 record in April; however, the team went sour thereafter specially for Jim Rice as he moved from left field to designated hitter. Dwight Evans also had problems when he played

neg: Todd Benzinger then a minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees. He played the majority of his career at the first baseman position, although he did occasionally play the outfield. As a member of the Red Sox, Benzinger is legendary for his clutch hitting during the Sox' 1988 "Morgan Magic" run, particularly his 10th inning walk-off HR on July 20, 1988. This has been called "The Benzinger Game" by some Red Sox enthusiasts. Benzinger ended Orel Hershiser's scoreless streak at 59 innings on an RBI hit in the first inning of Hershiser's first start of 1989. Benzinger was a member of

neg: History of the Boston Red Sox era, due largely to season-ending injuries to Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury. However, they did deny the defending World Series champion Yankees from clinching the AL East title, instead relegating them to the Wild Card on the final day of the regular season. The Red Sox began and ended their season playing the Yankees for the first time since . After the season, third baseman Mike Lowell announced his retirement. After missing the playoffs in 2010, the Red Sox made a statement in the 2010–11 offseason, acquiring 1B Adrian Gonzalez, OF Carl Crawford, and relief pitchers Bobby Jenks,

neg: Boston Red Sox he did in 1920). Further, providing the Yankees with a box office attraction would help that mediocre club, which had sided with him against Johnson and "the Loyal Five" clubs. Finally, Ruth was considered a serious disciplinary problem, a reputation he amply confirmed while playing for the Yankees. Frazee moved Ruth to stabilize Red Sox finances and cut distractions. It was a straight sale, no players in return. New York achieved great success after acquiring Ruth and several other very good players. The sale of Babe Ruth came to be viewed as the beginning of the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry, considered

neg: Mel Hoderlein service and six seasons in the minors playing for the Reds, Cubs, Yankees and Red Sox systems (1941, 1946–50). Hoderlein joined the U.S. Air Force during World War II (1942–45). After being discharged, he was part of several transactions before debuting in the majors in August 1951 with the Red Sox, while hitting .357 (5-for-14) in nine games. Before the 1952 season, he was traded by Boston with Chuck Stobbs to the White Sox in the same transaction that brought Randy Gumpert to Boston. But Hoderlein did not appear in a game for the White Sox. He was sent immediately

neg: Jeff Bailey Valdéz). He played in the Expos system until October when he granted his free agency. Bailey was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox organization first on November 7, 2003, then again on December 15, , December 10, and December 13, . Between 2004 and , Bailey split time between Double-A Portland Sea Dogs and Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. In 2006, he played the entire season playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox and had a .275 batting average, 82 RBI, and 22 home runs in 134 games. Bailey participated in the Red Sox' 2007 spring training before being

neg: Jeff Bagwell the school's career home run (31) and run batted in (126) leader when he was drafted, and a two-time Eastern College Athletic Conference player of the year. The Red Sox selected Jeff Bagwell in the fourth round of the 1989 Major League Baseball draft. Throughout his career, Barry Axelrod served as his agent. For his first professional assignment, the Red Sox appointed Bagwell to the Winter Haven Red Sox of the Florida State League in , where he batted .310 with two home runs. In , while playing for the AA New Britain Red Sox, Bagwell won the Eastern League

neg: MLB Network Showcase Once in a while, when USA did a repeat of the telecast late at night, local cities were allowed to show the rerun. From 1980–1981, Woods and Nelson Briles (replacing Harrelson) did the early games (except for a game at Montreal on October 2, 1980, which reunited Woods with onetime Boston Red Sox radio partner Ned Martin), while Moore and Wes Parker (replacing Wills) called the late game. In 1982, doubleheaders did not start until June 17. Prior to the doubleheaders starting, Moore and Parker did the individual game until then. When the doubleheaders finally began, Moore and Parker moved

neg: Buck O'Brien Buck O'Brien Thomas Joseph "Buck" O'Brien (May 9, 1882 – July 25, 1959) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox. O'Brien got a late start in professional baseball. However, as a spitballer, he did have tremendous success for a few years. In 1910, when he was 28 years old, he went 20–10 for Hartford of the Connecticut State League. In 1911, he was 26–7 for the Western League's Denver Grizzlies, leading the league in winning percentage and strikeouts. The Grizzlies won 111 games en route to the league

neg: Vic Rodriguez back to the minors in early August. That proved to be the end of Rodriguez's major league career. He remained in the Twins system for two more seasons, continuing to play for the Beavers. In , he moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies, playing two seasons for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. In , he played for the Edmonton Trappers in the Florida Marlins' system, then finished his career playing for the Boston Red Sox' top farm club, the Pawtucket Red Sox, in . After his playing career ended in with the Pawtucket Red Sox, Rodriguez remained in the Red Sox

neg: Heinie Wagner teams of the era. Wagner was considered to be a valuable infielder while playing with the Red Sox and was reputed to have "an exceptionally powerful and accurate throw." He was also known to block the basepaths with his "exceptionally big" feet. With 141 career stolen bases for the Red Sox, Wagner ranked third in team history when he retired (trailing Hall of Famers Harry Hooper and Tris Speaker) and still ranks fifth on the all-time Red Sox stolen base list. After being released by the Red Sox in January 1916, Wagner served as the player-manager of the Hartford team

neg: 1991 Boston Red Sox season 1991 Boston Red Sox season The 1991 Boston Red Sox season was the 91st season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished tied for second in the American League East with a record of 84 wins and 78 losses, seven games behind the Toronto Blue Jays. The team held an old-timers game on May 11, before a scheduled home game against the Texas Rangers. Festivities included non-playing appearances by Ted Williams (then 72) and Joe DiMaggio (then 76), in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the 1941 MLB season, when Williams batted .406 and DiMaggio had

neg: Sweet Caroline Show" LP. The third version was a remix found only on the initial CD release of Diamond's "His 12 Greatest Hits". This version has the orchestra mixed down and has the background vocals mixed up. It has a longer fade as well. A live version of the song is on his "Hot August Night" LP. The playing of "Sweet Caroline" has become a stadium anthem at many sporting events in the United States. In this version, the horn figure after Diamond sings "Sweet Caroline" in the chorus is replaced by the crowd singing “O O O”, and after he sings

neg: Don Larsen him the World Series Most Valuable Player Award and Babe Ruth Award. When the World Series ended, Larsen did a round of endorsements and promotional work around the United States, but he stopped soon after because it was "disrupting his routine". In 1957, Larsen had a 10–4 record with 3.74 ERA in 27 games, 20 of them starts. Larsen again had a bad start to the season, giving out four earned runs in innings pitched in his opening start against the Boston Red Sox. He gave up three consecutive hits to Gene Stephens, Gene Mauch and Sammy White to start

neg: Ray Collins (baseball) a one-hitter against the Chicago White Sox and compiled a 13–11 record, making him the second-winningest pitcher on the Red Sox behind Eddie Cicotte (15–11). He was 3–6 at one point in 1911, but turned his season around, finishing at 11–12 with a 2.40 ERA. Collins missed the first two months of the 1912 season with a knee injury, during which time the Red Sox christened their new stadium, Fenway Park. He did not start a game until early June, but won two games in three days over the Philadelphia Athletics at Shibe Park, 7–3 on July 3 and 5–3

neg: 1947 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and New York Giants player-manager Mel Ott. The American League manager was Joe Cronin of the Boston Red Sox, and the AL coaches were Red Sox coach Del Baker and Detroit Tigers manager Steve O'Neill. The starting pitchers were selected by the respective American and National League managers. The eight position starters were chosen by the fans. Players in "italics" have since been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. <nowiki>*</nowiki> This player did not start. <nowiki>#</nowiki> This player did not play. The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Happy Chandler, Commissioner of Baseball. The umpires changed assignments in

neg: Johnny Gooch games for the seventh-place Reds. After one more season with the Reds where his batting average dropped to .243, he was traded to the Nashville Volunteers in the Southern Association for Joe Cicero. He posted a .334 batting average in 117 games during the Volunteers' 1932 season. In January 1933, he returned to the major leagues when his contract was bought by the Boston Red Sox. Gooch's playing time was diminished when the Red Sox acquired catcher Rick Ferrell in May. He appeared in 37 games for the Red Sox and played in his final major league game on September

neg: Doug Mirabelli and his subsequent lack of playing time, Mirabelli asked Towers to work out a deal that would send him back to Boston. Mirabelli was reacquired by the Red Sox on May 1, 2006, in exchange for catcher Josh Bard, setup man Cla Meredith, and $100,000 cash. This reacquisition occurred because Bard had trouble catching Tim Wakefield's knuckleball, committing 10 passed balls in just 7 games. The day the trade occurred, the Red Sox were to play their first game of the year against their rivals, the New York Yankees, at Fenway Park, and Wakefield was scheduled to start. It took

neg: Billy Goodman the Boston Red Sox. Goodman entered his first Spring training battling Sam Mele for the open right field job. With Mele winning the job, Goodman batted .182 in limited play through May of the season before being reassigned to the American Association's Louisville Colonels, where he batted .340 over the remainder of the season. Goodman spent the spring with the Red Sox in playing in 12 games, 2 in the outfield, and 10 filling in at second base for an injured Bobby Doerr, He made his first start as a Major League third baseman on May 20, . From there,

neg: Julio Lugo the Pawtucket Red Sox to fill in for Lugo while he was on the Disabled List. On March 17, 2009, Lugo underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to repair a torn meniscus cartilage. Lugo was expected to be out for three to four weeks. Upon his return, Lugo got off to a slow start and was on a day-to-day playing rotation with fellow shortstop Nick Green. On July 17, 2009, Lugo was designated for assignment by the Red Sox, and was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Chris Duncan and cash considerations . On April 1, 2010, Lugo

neg: 2004 World Series third-base dugout? The New York Yankees, Sweet." In a sign of respect, the Red Sox rivals came to the top step of the visitors dugout and gave the Red Sox a standing ovation. The Fenway Park crowd burst into cheers when Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera was introduced, breaking from the tradition of fans booing opposing players, due to him having blown save opportunities in Games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS. Rivera was a good sport about it and laughed while waving his arms in mock appreciation of the fans. The following August, Simon & Schuster published "Faithful", a

neg: Sweet Caroline was also played right before the start of the Hamburg Marathon in Hamburg, Germany, on Sunday, April 21, 2013, subsequent to a minute of silence. The song was also played before the start of the Stockholm Marathon in Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday, June 1, 2013, as a tribute to those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings. On April 25, 2013, "Sweet Caroline" was played following a tribute to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing during the NFL Draft. Diamond has announced that he will donate all royalties from sales of the song since the marathon bombings to the One

neg: Frank Viola his second to last start with the Mets, on September 29 at Shea Stadium against the Philadelphia Phillies. He became a free agent after the 1991 season when the Mets opted not to resign Viola. He signed with the Red Sox in January . In a spring training game on April 2, 1993, Viola and Cory Bailey combined on a no-hitter as the Red Sox defeated the Phillies 10-0 at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida. He was injured while with the Red Sox and underwent Tommy John surgery. He finished his career with the Reds and Blue Jays,

neg: Tessie every Red Sox win at Fenway Park, the first being "Dirty Water" by The Standells. The third is "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night. Trot Nixon used "Tessie" as his at-bat intro music when he played for the Red Sox. "Tessie" was played at the end of regulation, prior to the start of overtime during the National Hockey League's 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park. A synthesized version of "Tessie" is used by Red Sox ticketing, as the signal a customer has been selected from the team's virtual waiting room to purchase tickets during busy periods. The Dropkick

neg: Allen Webster (baseball) pitcher Josh Beckett, outfielder Carl Crawford, infielder Nick Punto, and $11 million. Eventually, pitcher Rubby De La Rosa and OF/1B Jerry Sands were the two players to complete the trade. Entering 2013, Webster was ranked as the fourth-best prospect in the Red Sox minor league system and ranked 71st in the MLB.com Top 100 Prospects list. The Red Sox added him to their 40-man roster and assigned him to the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox to start the season. The Red Sox called him up to the Majors for the first time on April 21, 2013 to start the second game

neg: Jacoby Ellsbury played his first game at Fenway Park since leaving the Boston Red Sox to join the New York Yankees. He received an ovation of boos from Red Sox fans. In his first season with the Yankees, Ellsbury hit .271 with 16 home runs and 39 stolen bases. He remained healthy for most of the season, playing in 149 games, the third-most games he has ever played in one season. Ellsbury's home run count was the second-highest of his career next to his 2011 season. Ellsbury had a hot start to 2015, batting .363 up to May 7. On May 20,

neg: Carlos Rivero (baseball) he was named the 2007 South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star while playing for the Lake County Captains, also a Cleveland affiliate. Not long after signing him, the Red Sox assigned Rivero to Double A Portland Sea Dogs to start the 2014 season. He then gained a promotion to Triple A Pawtucket Red Sox during the midseason. He struggled after being called up to Triple-A, batting just .179 through eight games in the month of May. But Rivero improved the rest of the way, hitting .319 to go along with a .375 on-base percentage in June. He finished the month with

neg: Jack Harshman 2.89, 3rd best in the AL, and he compiled a career-high 161 strikeouts to go with 3 shutouts. However, run support was scarce and he ended the season with a 12–15 record. Harshman became a journeyman in 1959, playing for three different teams throughout the season. Jack got off to an awful start for the Orioles with an 0–6 record and a 6.85 ERA before being traded to the Boston Red Sox for Billy Hoeft on June 15, 1959. Harshman would only spend one month with the Red Sox, going 2–3 with a 6.57 ERA in 2 starts and 6

neg: Dominican Summer League Red Sox Dominican Summer League Red Sox The Dominican Summer League Red Sox, often called the DSL Red Sox, are a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball, playing in the foreign Dominican Summer League. The team, classed as a Rookie League franchise, plays at the El Toro Complex in the Dominican Republic. As of the 2018 Boston Red Sox season, the field coordinator is José Zapata, and the Red Sox are fielding two teams; one managed by Fernando Tatís and the other managed by Aly González. The Red Sox have fielded at least one team

neg: Vivian Kellogg Vivian Kellogg Vivian Caroline Kellogg [″Kelly″] (November 6, 1922 – December 13, 2013) was an American baseball player who played first base from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right-handed. Kellogg was born and raised in Jackson, Michigan. She grew up playing sandlot ball with her neighborhood kids at an early age, most of them boys, but did not start playing organized softball until she was 16. Kellogg graduated from Jackson High School in 1943 and was approached by a scout of the AAGPBL when she was playing softball for the Jackson Regent Cafe

neg: Derek Lowe hear "1918", a derisive chant mocking the Red Sox's previously most recent title win, at Yankee Stadium. On January 11, 2005, Lowe finalized a $36 million, four-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Despite his signing with a new team, Lowe wore a Red Sox uniform, with his career-long number of 32, during the Red Sox World Series ring ceremony on April 11, 2005, after already making a start for the Dodgers. On August 31, 2005, Lowe nearly pitched the second no-hitter of his career. After giving up a leadoff single to the Cubs' Jerry Hairston, Jr., Lowe did not

neg: Rich Rowland for the Tigers, he was a consistently solid hitting full-time catcher with Toledo reaching 136 games in 1992. His minor league playing time in 1993 was shorter, as he played more time on the Tigers. That season with Toledo, he batted .268 but hit 21 home runs in 325 at-bats— a relatively high home run ratio of 15.48. His slugging percentage of .548 ranked fourth in the International League in 1993. At the start of the 1994 season, Rowland was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Boston Red Sox for John Flaherty and did not play in the minor

neg: Tom Seaver .600 or better. A knee injury prevented him from appearing against the Mets in the 1986 World Series between the Mets and Red Sox, but Seaver received among the loudest ovations during player introductions prior to Game 1. Roger Clemens attributes the time he shared with Seaver as 1986 Red Sox teammates as instrumental in helping him make the transition from thrower to pitcher. The Red Sox did not offer Seaver a contract to his liking for the season. His 1986 salary was $1 million; the Red Sox offered $500,000, which Seaver declined. When no new contract agreement was reached,

neg: Sweet Caroline being played at athletic events and pep rallies. This is likely due to the fact that Caroline is a variation of the feminine given name Carolina. "Sweet Caroline" was played at Penn State Nittany Lions football games at Beaver Stadium until August 2012, halting after the Penn State child sex abuse scandal. Performances at Beaver Stadium resumed in September 2013, however. The song is played at the start of the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh Panthers Football games at Heinz Field. In response, West Virginia University students and fans will yell "eat shit, Pitt" during the refrain if heard played. On

neg: History of the Chicago White Sox down 4–2 when Red Sox second baseman Tony Graffanino, formerly playing for the White Sox, let Juan Uribe's potential inning-ending, double-play grounder go through his legs; one out later, Tadahito Iguchi hit a three-run homer to left that clinched the game for the White Sox. In Game 3, Orlando Hernández entered the game with the bases loaded and nobody out with the White Sox ahead by only one run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Based on their regular season performance, it was later calculated that the Red Sox's probability of winning at that point was .662, even though

neg: Boston Red Sox early 1970s, they never finished higher than second place in their division. The closest they came to a divisional title was 1972, when they lost by a half-game to the Detroit Tigers. The start of the season was delayed by a players' strike, and the Red Sox had lost one more game to the strike than the Tigers had. Games lost to the strike were not made up. The Red Sox went to Detroit with a half-game lead for the final series of the season, but lost the first two of those three and were eliminated from the pennant race.

neg: Boston Red Sox Bobby Doerr and center fielder Dom DiMaggio (the younger brother of Joe DiMaggio). The Red Sox narrowly lost the AL pennant in 1948 and 1949. In 1948, Boston finished in a tie with Cleveland, and their loss to Cleveland in a one-game playoff ended hopes of an all-Boston World Series. Curiously, manager Joseph McCarthy chose journeyman Denny Galehouse to start the playoff game when the young lefty phenom Mel Parnell was available to pitch. In 1949, the Red Sox were one game ahead of the New York Yankees, with the only two games left for both teams being against each

neg: 2008 American League Championship Series routers used in the broadcast transmission of the relay of the telecast from Atlanta. When facing elimination, Terry Francona's Red Sox won nine of ten postseason games. Sunday, October 19, 2008 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida The Rays shook off the ghosts of Red Sox past to win their first American League pennant, winning a tight game 3–1. Dustin Pedroia got the Red Sox off to a good start with a one-out homer in the first off Matt Garza, but Garza settled in and delivered an MVP performance. Tampa Bay tied the game in the fourth with an

neg: 1975 Boston Red Sox season would get cash and a player to be named later, the quality depending on what Doyle did for the Sox. Little did anyone know this would be even better than the pickup of Jerry Adair back in 1967. Second base was a problem. Doug Griffin was playing there and doing an adequate job, but he was injury-prone, and the Sox had been particularly anxious about him ever since he had been hit in the face by a Nolan Ryan fastball back in April 1974. Doug had seemed tentative at the plate since the beaning, and Boston had concerns about his

neg: Lou Merloni Lou Merloni Louis William "Lou" Merloni (born April 6, 1971) is an American radio personality and a former Major League Baseball player. Merloni was scouted by hall of fame scout 'Buzz' Bowers, and played for his hometown Boston Red Sox from - and again for part of 2003. Merloni is well-known locally for his frequent trips between the Red Sox and their Triple-A affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox, which has become known as the "Merloni Shuttle" . He also played for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Merloni was nicknamed "Sweet Lou" by Boston

neg: Bo Díaz In December , Díaz was signed by Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent. He spent seven seasons playing in the Red Sox minor league system. While playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox in , he posted a .263 batting average with 14 doubles, seven home runs and 54 runs batted in before being called up late in the season to make his major league debut with Boston on September 6, 1977 at the age of 24. Díaz appeared in only two games for the Red Sox, being struck out by Dennis Martínez in his only at-bat. On March

neg: 1943 Boston Red Sox season = Strikeouts" 1943 Boston Red Sox season The 1943 Boston Red Sox season was the 43rd season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished seventh in the American League (AL) with a record of 68 wins and 84 losses. The team set a major league record which still stands by playing in 31 extra innings games, winning 15 and losing 14, with 2 games tied. They played 352 extra innings in total, equivalent to playing an additional 39 games. "Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. =

neg: 1943 Boston Red Sox season 1943 Boston Red Sox season The 1943 Boston Red Sox season was the 43rd season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished seventh in the American League (AL) with a record of 68 wins and 84 losses. The team set a major league record which still stands by playing in 31 extra innings games, winning 15 and losing 14, with 2 games tied. They played 352 extra innings in total, equivalent to playing an additional 39 games. "Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average;

neg: Will Middlebrooks and 54 RBIs in 75 games played. On April 7, 2013, Middlebrooks hit three home runs in a 13–0 Red Sox victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto. Two of his home runs were hit off of pitcher R.A. Dickey. However, he lost playing time to José Iglesias after he strained his back in May. After he batted .192 on the season, the Red Sox optioned Middlebrooks to Pawtucket on June 25, 2013. The Red Sox opted not to promote Middlebrooks when they traded Iglesias on July 30, using Brandon Snyder and Brock Holt instead. After Middlebrooks made adjustments,

neg: History of the Boston Red Sox again in a 10–5 win. Finally, in Game 4, Jon Lester took Tim Wakefield's spot in the rotation and gave the Sox an impressive start, pitching 5⅔ shutout innings. The Rockies threatened, but thanks to World Series MVP Mike Lowell and aided by a pinch-hit home run by outfielder Bobby Kielty, Papelbon registered another save as the Red Sox swept the Rockies in four games. The Red Sox captured their second title in four years. The end of February 2008 sparked a controversy between Hank Steinbrenner and Red Sox Nation. Due to Steinbrenner's comments, Red Sox owner John Henry inducted

neg: John Lackey center of a controversy that told that the three (and sometimes more) drank beers and ate fried chicken in the clubhouse during games in which they were not pitching. During a press conference, Ben Cherington, the new GM of the Boston Red Sox, revealed that John Lackey had Tommy John surgery during the 2011 offseason. As a result, Lackey did not pitch for the entire season. Lackey was later seen drinking beer in the clubhouse during his rehabilitation, causing further controversy. On April 6, Lackey injured his arm in his first start since September 2011. The Red Sox announced it

neg: Franklin Morales a 2-run Wall Ball single. Morales was replaced by Brandon Workman who ended the inning without further damage. The Sox won the game when Shane Victorino hit a 7th inning grand slam. Morales did not pitch in the World Series as the Red Sox won the championship over the St. Louis Cardinals. He was traded by the Red Sox before the end of the year. On December 18, 2013, Morales was traded back to the Colorado Rockies along with minor league pitcher Chris Martin for utility man Jonathan Herrera. After being primarily a relief pitcher for the Red Sox in

neg: Will Middlebrooks runs in 21 games. As he rehabilitated his injury in the minor leagues, Middlebrooks began playing in the outfield, due to the Red Sox' signing of Stephen Drew. After the Red Sox traded Drew, they hoped that Middlebrooks would improve his performance with more regular playing time. Middlebrooks continued to miss time later in the season due to lingering effects of the hand injury. He finished the 2014 season with a .191 average in 215 at-bats. During the 2014–15 offseason, the Red Sox signed free agent Pablo Sandoval, a third baseman. On December 19, 2014, the Red Sox traded Middlebrooks

neg: Ricky Trlicek April 1, 1994, the Boston Red Sox selected him. Trlicek opened the season with the Boston Red Sox, and earned his first win with the team in his first game, as he threw 1.2 scoreless innings in the Red Sox 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Trlicek struggled after that game though, as he was sent to the Pawtucket Red Sox with a 17.18 ERA in 6 games. Trlicek returned to Boston in June, however, he was demoted to the minors once again in early July. Boston then had Trlicek start with the New Britain Red Sox.

neg: Bill Haselman Bill Haselman William Joseph Haselman (born May 25, 1966) is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played from 1990-2003 with the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers. He also served as the bullpen coach and first base coach for the Boston Red Sox. During his 13-year playing career, Haselman hit .259 with 47 HR and 210 RBI. His best season came in 1996, when he hit .274 with 8 HR and 34 RBI in a career-high 237 AB for the Red Sox. He hit .314 with 6 HR in 105 AB for Texas in 1998.

neg: Félix Doubront Félix Doubront Félix Antonio Doubront [doo-bront'] (born October 23, 1987) is a Venezuelan pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics in a span of six seasons from 2010 through 2015. He also pitched for the Lotte Giants of the KBO League in its 2018 season. Doubront was 17 years old when he entered the minors in 2005 with the VSL Red Sox (rookie), playing for them one year before joining the GCL Red Sox (rookie, 2006), Lowell Spinners (A–, 2006–2007), Greenville Drive (A, 2007–2008) and Lancaster JetHawks

neg: Joe Cronin a skein of eight consecutive below-.500 and second-division campaigns. Most attention has been focused on Cronin and Yawkey's refusal to integrate the Red Sox roster; by January 1959, when Cronin's GM term ended, the Red Sox were the only team in the big leagues without an African-American or Afro-Caribbean player. Notably, Cronin once passed on signing a young Willie Mays and never traded for an African-American player. The Red Sox did not break the baseball color line until six months after Cronin's departure for the AL presidency, when they promoted Pumpsie Green, a utility infielder, from their Triple-A affiliate, the

neg: Ban Johnson commission, Johnson soon dominated the body. Johnson brooked no criticism, and made it very difficult for men he didn't like to buy into the league. For instance, when Harry Frazee bought the Boston Red Sox in , Johnson tried almost from the start to drive him out because Frazee had not been hand-picked by Johnson. At one point, Johnson even had ownership interests in the Cleveland and Washington teams. The Frazee dispute planted the seed for Johnson's downfall. Eventually, the league divided into two factions, with the Red Sox, White Sox and New York Yankees on one side (commonly known

neg: Trevor Hoffman responsibility. "Bad workmen always blame their tools", Mikki would say. Hoffman's older brother, Glenn, was nine years older and played shortstop in the Boston Red Sox organization. During summer vacation when Hoffman was 10 years old, he joined Glenn while he was playing in Pawtucket. His oldest brother, Greg, was 14 years Hoffman's senior and a mentor to his two younger brothers. After Hoffman's first Little League game, Greg asked him how he did. Hoffman responded, "I went 2-for-4, double, RBI." to which Greg replied, "That'll be the last (blanking) time you tell me how you did. When I ask

neg: 2007 Boston Red Sox season Ellsbury also had a terrific postseason. Ellsbury replaced center fielder Coco Crisp in Game 6 of the ALCS against the Indians. He did not heat up until Game 3 of the World Series, where he had 4 hits and 2 doubles. Ellsbury batted an amazing .438 in the 4-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies. The Boston Red Sox also had one incredible rookie pitcher named Clay Buchholz. Buchholz, 23, made his MLB debut on August 17. In his first start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Fenway Park, Buchholz pitched 6 innings, allowing 3 earned runs, while striking