Boston redsox
The Boston Red Sox (sometimes fondly referred to as Bosox or just The Sox) are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise that plays in the Eastern Division of the American League. The American League is one of the two major baseball leagues that are run by MLB, the other being the National League.
History:
When the American League (was known as the Western League before) was newly formed, they placed their franchises in two of the largest and most important National League cities, Philadelphia and Boston.
The Boston Red Sox was formed in 1901 and back then was referred to as the Boston Americans. But they allegedly also played as the Boston Somersets (1902) and as the Boston Pilgrims (1903-1907) before they came to be known as the Boston Red Sox.
It was in 1903 when they won their first ever World Series and it was by defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was finally in 1908 when they changed their name to what we know them as now the Boston Red Sox.
Before moving into their current home stadium Fenway Park, the team played at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds. The team moved into Fenway Park in the year 1912, the same year the park opened. To be more precise, the Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912, which makes it the oldest major league ballpark thats still in action.
Team Uniform:
From 1901 to 1907, the team actually wore dark blue stockings. During that time, their jerseys simply read Boston, except in the year 1902 when the jerseys featured large letters B and A standing for Boston and American respectively.
It was on December 18, 1907, when it was announced that the team officially adopted red as its new team color. The current colors of the teams uniform are navy blue, red and white.
Team Logo Design:
The logo features two red colored socks with white colored heels and toes, hanging over a white baseball. While above that is the word Boston in navy blue and outlined with red, the word Red Sox in red and outlined with navy blue is found under it. And all that is surrounded by a thick red circular outline.
Retired Numbers:
For a player to have his number retired, the Boston Red Sox have three official requirements. The player should have:
• been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame
• played at least 10 years with the Boston Red Sox
• ended their baseball career with the Boston Red Sox
The players that have retired their number so far are:
• Ted Williams (number 9) 1984
• Joe Cronin (number 4) 1984
• Bobby Doerr (number 1) 1988
• Carl Yastrzemski (number 8) 1989
• Jackie Robinson (number 42) 1997
• Carlton Fisk (number 27) 2000
(Until the late 1990s, the numbers were initially hung on the field wall in the order of which they were retired: 9-4-1-8. It was pointed out that when the numbers were read as a date (9/4/18), it marked the eve of the 1918 World Series, the last World Series that the Boston Red Sox won before 2004. But after the wall was repainted, the numbers were rearranged in numerical order.)
The requirement that for a player to have his number retired, they must have ended their professional baseball careers with the Red Sox was slightly bent when it came to Carlton Fisk. Even though he met two requirements (election to Hall of Fame and at least 10 years play with the Red Sox), he actually finished his baseball career with the Chicago White Sox. But the Boston Red Sox hired Fisk for one day as a special assistant to (then General Manager) Dan Duquette, so that he could have his number retired.
Even player Wade Boggs meets only two requirements to have his number (26) retired, as he did not end his baseball career with the Red Sox. And if player Jim Rice is elected into the Hall of Fame, he will meet all the requirements to have his number (14) retired.
Notable Team Seasons:
• In 1901, Cy Young won the pitching Triple Crown by leading the league in three categories: wins (33), ERA earned runs average (1.62) and strikeouts (158).
• In 1967, Carl Yastrzemski hit 44 home runs and finished only one vote short of a unanimous Most Valuable Player selection
• In 1975, Fred Lynn became the first player in major league history to win the Most Valuable Player award as well as the Rookie of the Year award, all in the same season.
• In 1986, Roger Clemens won the Cy Young Award for pitching and was also voted the Most Valuable Player.
• In 2000, Pedro Martinez had one of the greatest pitching seasons by scoring a 1.74 ERA (earned runs average).
• In 2005, David Ortiz had 47 home runs and 148 RBI's (runs batted in). He also came in second in the Most Valuable Player voting (he lost to New York Yankees player, Alex Rodriguez).
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