Win It For ...

Those last two weeks of October 2004 went by so fast. After sweeping the Angels, and then losing the first 3 games to the Yankees, it looked like once again, we were going to have to wait another year. But then, we all know what happened. Millar walked, Roberts stole second and Mueller tied it up with a base hit. All of this in the bottom of the ninth. Then Big Papi was Big Papi once again, and we won it in extra innings. We won again in extra innings the next night and from that point, I don't think the Yankees had a chance. Game 6 showed the Yankees desperation and revealed A-rods true colors as he was caught cheating by slapping the ball out of Arroyo's glove and my favorite part was the look on A-rod's face after he was caught. He had the look my son has when he is caught eating chocolate before dinner - like "what did I do?" I am so glad we never got him!

Before game 7, I stumbled across a thread on the Son of Sam Horn web site titled "Win it for ...". It told hundreds and hundreds of stories of people who were asking the Sox to win it for certain people in their family who were not around to witness what was happening. By the time game 4 of the world series came around, there were thousands of entries and I spent hours reading each one. On October 27, 2004, in the morning I added my entry. The entries were eventually made into a book, and mine didn't make, but I thought I would include it here. Little did I know that within 24 hours of writing it, my Red Sox were going to change my life. We were going to win the world series! Here it is...

Win it for....

My Wife - win it because although she remained strong and didn't give in to my obsession for several years, they eventually sucked her in. Win it because she remained at that game years ago for the entire 18 innings, being told by security to sit down twice, never once asking to leave, and cheering to the end of that 18 inning loss at two in the morning. Win it because she watched the games even after her favorite player, Todd Walker was traded, then Shea Hillenbrand, then Nomar and she always came back. Win it because she wears Red Sox earrings to all the games, the ones she picked out because they would bring us luck. Win it because her Sox hat had been worn enough to have sweat stains around the rim. Win it because she wrote in the wedding book "The Sox swept the Yankees" the weekend of her wedding. Win it because she can hold her own in any argument with a Yankee fan. Win it because she cried when Boone beat us last year. Win it because she knows this is much more than "just a game."

Win it for ...

My son Austin - Win it because he leans toward the tv and mumbles, "C'mon Manny" every time any Red Sox player steps up to bat. Win it because he can imitate his favorite pitcher "Bronson Ayo-yo", leg kick and all. Win it because he celebrates every Red Sox win by throwing his hat in the air and jumping up and down. Win it because after we ran the bases at the Texas Rangers AAA team's ballpark, I set him down on home plate, he touched his heart and pointed to the sky, just like Big Papi. Win it because he can't go anywhere without wearing his "B" hat on his head. Win it because instead of waving hello, he simply points and gives a "Manny wave". Win it because he thinks the last two words of the National Anthem is "Play Ball !" Win it because his first word he ever said was "Go!" and that was during a Sox game when we needed a stolen base. Win it because the next word he ever spoke was "Manny" even though his mom would like to think he actually said "Mommy", but that will be our secret. Win it so he will never have to hear Yankee fans chant "1918!" Most of all, win it because like his father 30 years ago, he is falling in love with the Red Sox for the first time. Win it so his first love never breaks his heart.

And they won it !!