Boston Red Sox Memorabilia Buying Guide

By Sean J. O'Rourke

One of the most popular franchises in sports, the Boston Red Sox have gone from an 86-year World Series drought to baseball’s newest dynasty. Founded all the way back in 1901, the Sox won five World Series titles before 1918, including the first-ever World Series in 1903. Little did the Fenway Faithful know the team would then embark on an excruciating winless era, mostly blamed on the selling of legendary slugger Babe Ruth to the hated New York Yankees in 1919. Dubbed "The Curse of the Bambino,” it's been said that during this span the Sox didn't just lose, they broke fans’ hearts.

But not all was bad in Beantown during “The Curse.”  In 1939, the Red Sox acquired future Hall of Famer Ted Williams from the San Diego Padres. Hitting for both power and average, Williams is considered by many to be the greatest hitter in the history of the game. Besides Williams, the late 1930s and 1940s saw some of the biggest names in the game play for the Old Towne Team. Guys like Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr, Ted Williams and Dom DiMaggio lined the roster for the Sox.  However, the Korean War caused many Major Leaguers, including Williams, to miss multiple seasons to serve in the armed forces. Retiring in 1960, Williams fittingly hit a homerun in his final career at-bat. To this day, Williams is the last player to bat over .400 in a season, dating all the way back to his 1941 campaign where he batted .406.

Twenty years later, in 1961, the Sox were rewarded again with the debut of young left fielder Carl Yastrzemski. While the Red Sox wouldn't collect that elusive World Series Championship during his playing career, Yastrzemski did claim nearly every franchise record for offense including most RBIs, runs, singles, doubles, hits, total bases and games played. The Sox, led by "Yaz," won the American League pennant in 1967 before eventually bowing out to Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals, who won the Series that year. The Sox surrounded Yastrzemski with other very talented position players such as Jim Rice, Fred Lynn, Carlton Fisk and Dwight Evans and made another World Series appearance in 1975. Facing Cincinnati's feared "Big Red Machine" offense, the Sox and Reds partook in one of the most memorable World Series ever played. With the series leaning Cincinnati's way three games to two, Game Six at Boston's Fenway Park produced arguably the greatest postseason game in baseball history. With the game tied 6-6 in the bottom of the twelfth, Boston catcher Carlton Fisk stepped to the plate, literally. With the game on the line, Fisk blasted a deep fly ball towards left field. As the ball sailed into the cold Massachusetts night, Fisk waved his arms as if to guide the ball fair as it soared over the Green Monster and over Lansdowne Street. Considered one of the greatest homeruns and most memorable moments in MLB history, Fisk's homerun forced a seventh game where, unfortunately for Sox fans, the Reds beat the Sox 4-3.

The building blocks for the now-famous Red Sox-Yankees rivalry were laid in 1978. In a one-game playoff at Fenway to decide the American League East champ, Yankees' shortstop Bucky Dent hit a homerun that gave New York the lead and ultimately the win. Hitting only 40 home runs during his 12-year career, Dent's name has become completely taboo among Boston sports fan.  Eight years later, Boston fans had their hearts broken again, this time by a different New York team.  It’s almost impossible to talk about Sox history and not bring up Bill Buckner's error in Game Six of the 1986 World Series against the New York Mets. With champagne on ice, the Red Sox blew a 5-3 lead in the tenth inning before a ground ball hit by Mookie Wilson went between Buckner's legs and into the outfield, giving Ray Knight a chance to score and forcing a seventh game.  The Sox lost Game Seven, making the Curse seem all the more real.

The Curse was officially broken in 2004, a year Red Sox Nation will never forget. The team was loaded with talented players, including Johnny Damon, Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and Curt Schilling. The Sox headed into another battle with the hated New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series. In one of the most memorable events in sports history, the Red Sox staged an unprecedented comeback to defeat the Yankees after trailing the series 0-3. A series that saw David Ortiz hit two walk-off game-winning hits, Dave Roberts' series-saving steal of second base in Game Four and Curt Schilling's unforgettable 'bloody-sock' in Game Six, Boston's 2004 ALCS comeback is one of the greatest stories in baseball history. The Sox then turned their attention to the National League Champion, the St. Louis Cardinals. After slugging past St. Louis in Game One, Boston's starting rotation of Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe led the team to victories in Games Two, Three and Four. The Sox won the Series-clinching Game Four on the same night of a total lunar eclipse and captured their first World Series Championship in 86 years. After two years of building the team's pitching staff and replenishing the farm system, the Red Sox returned to baseball's brightest stage again in 2007. They overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Cleveland Indians in the American League Championship Series. Led by Josh Beckett’s arm, the Sox steamrolled the Colorado Rockies in the World Series and locked up another title in four games.

One of the most popular, historic and recognizable franchises on Earth, the Boston Red Sox continue to forge a future as bright as their storied past. The winner of seven World

Series Championships since their formation as one of the American League's original teams in 1901, the Sox have no shortage of legends whose stories will be passed on for generations. If you are a faithful citizen of the Nation, look no further than our selection of authentic Boston Red Sox memorabilia to add to your home.

• Ted Williams Autographed Baseball: One of the greatest hitters in the history of baseball, Ted Williams has forever left his mark on both his sport and his nation. A man who saw combat in both the Korean War and World War II, Ted Williams became to this day the last hitter to bat over .400 for a season when he batted .406 in 1941. A man remembered throughout the sports world as the defining figure of a generation, his authentic memorabilia is an absolute must-have for serious Sox fans. If you're considering adding the great Ted Williams to your sports collection, look no further than this Rawlings baseball hand-signed by the two-time American League Most Valuable Player himself. An absolute Hall of Fame addition to your sports-based room, this authentic Ted Williams baseball is the perfect way to commemorate one of the greatest hitters the world has ever seen.

• 2007 Team Autographed Baseball: The Boston Red Sox and their ever growing fan base had to wait a torturous 86 years before their 2004 World Series win. Josh Beckett, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and the rest of the 2007 Sox made sure that wasn't the case when they won the 2007 World Series Championship, the team's second in only four years. A truly rare and exciting opportunity, here is a chance to grab a piece of baseball history with this authentic 2007 World Series baseball hand-signed by every member of the 2007 Boston Red Sox championship team. Provided with a Steiner Sports Certificate of Authenticity as well as a Major League Baseball hologram, this World Series baseball is hand-signed by Red Sox coach Luis Alicea, Alex Cora, Manny Delcarmen, Jacoby Ellsbury, coach John Farrell, Eric Hinske, Bobby Kielty, Jon Lester, Javier Lopez, Mike Lowell, Julio Lugo, coach Dave Magadan, Doug Mirabelli, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, Manny Ramirez, Kyle Snyder, Mike Timlin, Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling and Red Sox manager Terry Francona. This is the ultimate centerpiece for any Boston sports collection and the perfect addition to your Red Sox collection.

• 2004 Team-Signed Bat: You know about the historic 0-3 comeback against the New York Yankees and the Curse of the Bambino, now take the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox home! On this commemorative “Reverse the Curse” bat, the history-making "idiots" have each added their signatures to this ultra-rare and ultra-cool centerpiece for your collection. This piece has been signed by the following members of the 2004 World Champion Red Sox: Alan Embree, Brad Mills, Bronson Arroyo, Curt Leskanic, Curt Schilling, Dale Sveum, Dave Roberts, Dave Wallace, David Ortiz, Doug Mientkiewicz, Doug Mirabelli, Gabe Kapler, Jason Varitek, Johnny Damon, Keith Foulke, Kevin Millar, Kevin Youkilis, Lynn Jones, Manny Ramirez, Mark Bellhorn, Mike Myers, Pedro Martinez, Ron Jackson, Terry  Francona, Theo Epstein, Tim Wakefield and Trot Nixon.

• Carl Yastrzemski Autographed Jersey w/ HoF Inscription: One of the most popular players in Boston sports history, Carl Yastrzemski roamed in the shadows of the Green Monster for the better part of 23 years. An 18-time All-Star, “Yaz” retired in 1983 as the Red Sox franchise career leader for RBIs, runs, hits, total bases and games played. This throwback Red Sox away jersey is hand-signed by 1967 American League Most Valuable Player Carl Yastrzemski himself. An absolute must-have for any serious Boston sports fan, Yaz is a legendary player Red Sox Nation will never forget. The perfect way to commemorate Yaz's illustrious career, this jersey has been inscribed with "HoF 89" (Hall of Fame class of 1989) and "TC 67" (Baseball's Triple Crown) by Yastrzemski himself underneath his signature. Add the legendary Red Sox left fielder to your sports-influenced room today!

• 2007 World Series Celebration Autographed Photo: This absolutely flawless photograph comes hand-signed by 22 members of the Red Sox’s 2007 lineup. Shown jubilant in celebration, Josh Beckett, Royce Clayton, Alex Cora, Manny Delcarmen, Jacoby Ellsbury, Eric Hinske, Bobby Kielty, Jon Lester, Javier Lopez, Mike Lowell, Julio Lugo, Doug Mirabelli, David Ortiz, Jonathon Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling, Kyle Snyder, Mike Timlin, Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis and Terry Francona have all added their signatures to this picture.  Your photograph comes with a Steiner Certificate of Authenticity.

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