July 24, 2004: NEW YORK 10 @ BOSTON 11
Tens years ago today, the 2004 Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 11-10 in a ballgame most remembered for the showdown between Alex Rodriguez and Jason Varitek. It has already been dissected and cited at long length as a symbolic turning point in both the two teams’ rivalry and Boston’s baseball fortunes as a whole and as they pertained to the 2004 World Championship run.
The image of Varitek accepting an immediately regrettable verbal challenge from A-Rod and unexpectedly plunging into Rodriguez and body-slamming him is ubiquitous with the RIVALRY at this point. But as we all remember that moment fondly, let’s not shortchange the drama that came in the hours before and afterward as part of the slugfest. Provided below are just a few visual reminders of the scene at Fenway Park one late afternoon in the heat of the summer a decade ago.
Prologue
Exposition
Conflict Rising
Peak Rivalry
Aftermath
Fenway Pastoral 