More than 300 ballplayers have spent time with both the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, opposing teams in one of the most intense rivalries ever in sports. This book examines the century long antagonism between the two clubs, their storied pasts and their evolution during the 20th century. Several what-ifs are considered: what if Babe Ruth had never been traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees? What if the clubs had swapped Joe DiMaggio for Ted Williams, as was proposed by the owners of both teams? What if Alex Rodriguez had gone to Boston, as was originally intended, rather than to New York? The debate as to which team has made out better with shared players is explored.

"Red Sox" on title page is represented by the image of red socks.

Winners of twenty-seven World Series titles, the New York Yankees are the quintessential sports dynasty. Love them or hate them, they cannot be ignored by anyone who professes to be a fan of the great game of baseball. With Damn Yankees, Rob Fleder, former Executive Editor for Sports Illustrated magazine, offers a timeless collection of original essays by some of the most prominent contemporary writers in America—from Pete Dexter to Jane Leavy, from Roy Blount Jr. to Colum McCann—each piece focusing on one uniquely colorful subject: the fanatically adored/resoundingly despised “Bronx Bombers.” Funny, moving, provocative, insightful appreciations and detractions—from Babe Ruth to Mickey Mantle to Derek Jeter—Damn Yankees offers twenty-four fascinating takes on the most storied franchise of baseball’s Major Leagues.

A collection of articles, essays, statistics, and lore on the game of baseball.

Inspired by Chairman Mao's infamous Little Red Book, "Spaceman" Bill Lee offers an off-the-wall revisionist history of baseball's most colorful franchise, the Boston Red Sox. In addition to rewriting Red Sox history, Lee offers up his unique views on today's and yesteryear's game. With this hilarious take on Red Sox history, the Spaceman proves he's the true MVP in helping the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series and lift the Curse of the Bambino.

In 1919, the Boston Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees to finance a Broadway show. In 1968, NBC turned off the Jets-Raiders game with only seconds left to show the made-for-TV movie Heidi. In 1994, Tonya Harding decided the best way to win Olympic gold was by taking out Nancy Kerrigan's kneecap. In all of these situations, and many, many more, there is just one question fans can ask: What were they thinking?! In these pages, sportswriter and fellow fan Kyle Garlett recounts the top sports blunders that made you tear out your hair, beat your chest in agony, and yell at the TV until your neighbors called the cops. Whether it's boneheaded coaches, idiotic general managers, or temporarily insane players, every fan has seen his team go from the brink of victory to total defeat for no logical reason. Whether it's baseball, football, golf, hockey, or any other sport, you'll discover what really happened during these painful moments and why they ended up the unbelievable way they did.

The author of the sports classic "The Curse of the Bambino" relates the history and lore of one of the world's most celebrated sports franchises, the Boston Red Sox, and their beloved and venerable home, Fenway Park.

Larceny and Old Leather shows how baseball fans have a considerable tolerance for the bizarre, not to say devious, behavior of their heroes: from the nasty Ty Cobb to Roger Maris (asterisk and all) and Pete Rose's memory lapses.