In '75 the sox lost in game seven of the World Series after blowing a 3-run lead in the 9th inning. In '78 the Sox had a 14 game lead in the division that they eventually squandered to finish in a tie for first with their arch rival the New York Yankees, which lead to a 1 game playoff where the Red Sox lost on a 3-run homer by the Yankees short stop, whom my dad and grandfather affectionately referred to as "Bucky F****** Dent" from that day on. In '86 the Sox were one strike away from winning the World Series when Boston 1st Baseman, Bill Buckner let a routine ground ball roll through his legs, an image that haunts my father to this day. In 2003, the Red Sox were playing the Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. Boston held a 5–2 lead in the eighth inning, and manager Grady Little opted to stay with starting pitcher Pedro MartÃnez rather than go to the bullpen. Pedro ended up blowing the lead and Aaron Boone hit a walk-off homerun in the 11th inning. .
Fast forward exactly one year to 2004, the Red Sox are down three games to none, in a best of seven ALCS. Now the Yankees led in the bottom of the 9th in the potential elimination game. My grandfather (and most likely, Sox fans everywhere) thinking "uh-oh here we go again". I can remember watching the game with my father, my mother nagging that "it is was time for me to go to bed" and "the game was essentially over". My dad disputed, maintaining there was still hope. The Sox brought in a pinch runner, Dave Roberts on first base. The entire stadium and everyone watching at home KNEW he was going to steal. He took off and was safe at second base! And suddenly there was glimmer of hope! Then a single by Bill Mueller scored Roberts from second and Boston had tied it! The game ended up lasting over 5 hours as the sox clung to the aforementioned glimmer of hope.
