1978 Boston Massacre

[Jersey Yankee]

Reggie Jackson is congratulated after his home run in
the second game of the "Boston Massacre." (AP)

'78 'Boston Massacre' revisited
Yanks' rout of Sox in pivotal series isn't without precedent

On Sept. 7, 1978, there was hope for elusive peace in the Middle East as Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat were in secret meetings with President Jimmy Carter at Camp David. Pope Paul VI had just passed away and was succeeded by Pope John Paul I. Keith Moon, drummer for The Who, died on this day of a drug overdose.

It was the age of disco and "Saturday Night Fever." Olivia Newton-John was singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" in the smash-hit "Grease." And hopelessly devoted to the Boston Red Sox were their fans who could not have known that it would be more than another quarter-century before they would win it all.

This was the start of a four-game series at Fenway Park against the rival New York Yankees, and what happened that week at a much different time in America obviously is not forgotten now. With the Yankees completing a five-game sweep of the Red Sox on Monday at Fenway Park, there are widespread mentions of baseball's original "Boston Massacre," even "Son of Massacre" references.

What happened in 1978 always would remain part of the lore of The Rivalry, for better or for worse, depending on who was telling the story. Here is a look at what happened:

Sept. 7: The Red Sox had built a lead as high as 14 games in midsummer and appeared poised to dethrone their rivals, who had just won the previous World Series to end their own 15-year drought. But the gap in the American League East standings had been narrowed to just four games entering this series, due to a combination of Boston injuries and a hot streak by the World Series champs. Billy Martin had resigned, and now the Yankees were cruising under the low-key managerial style of Bob Lemon.

[Dave Visbeck]

Originally Posted by Jersey Yankee

Reggie Jackson is congratulated after his home run in
the second game of the "Boston Massacre." (AP)

'78 'Boston Massacre' revisited
Yanks' rout of Sox in pivotal series isn't without precedent

Yep. We had done better in this game than the last game we played ... because we only lost by 11.

[jimmyclark]

Peter Gammons tells a story of someone dialing a phone number using the Yankee runs scored for the numbers. The line was disconnected. I wonder if someone tried that with any games from Boston Massacre Redux.

[PeteRFNY]

I wish YES would do a marathon of all 4 games from the ORIGINAL "Boston Massacre", but they never seem very interested in delving deep into the archives. They seem content with the four or so "old" games they show, surrounded by a dozen games from the last 10 years.

Of course, the huge-normous "Yankees Classics" logo and five-inch-tall "bottom line" would end up driving me up the freaking wall anyway.

[Soriambi]

Originally Posted by PeteRFNY

I wish YES would do a marathon of all 4 games from the ORIGINAL "Boston Massacre", but they never seem very interested in delving deep into the archives. They seem content with the four or so "old" games they show, surrounded by a dozen games from the last 10 years.

Of course, the huge-normous "Yankees Classics" logo and five-inch-tall "bottom line" would end up driving me up the freaking wall anyway.

I sometimes wonder whether that has anything to do with TV rights or something. Maybe games that were on MSG or other channels are the property of those channels and they don't want the Yankees to use them on YES or something. I'm not sure, but it doesn't make much sense that they wouldn't do other games, and that's one possible explanation. Of course, I could be off base, and I don't know about the legalities of any of that or whatever.

[Sixty one]

I wish that they had the right to broadcast some of the games that were on tape from the 50's when they played the Dodgers and Braves.

[Casey37]

I've tried watching classic games from the '50s, but the quality is really terrible. Too bad modern technology has not been able to do something about this.

[Bub]

Originally Posted by Sixty one

I wish that they had the right to broadcast some of the games that were on tape from the 50's when they played the Dodgers and Braves.

Or for that matter, a game from every era. I'd love to see a 1970 game against anyone.

[Jersey Yankee]

Originally Posted by Bub

Or for that matter, a game from every era. I'd love to see a 1970 game against anyone.

See if anything's on ESPN Classic.

[Casey37]

Originally Posted by Jersey Yankee

See if anything's on ESPN Classic.

I think I'll pass. They'd probably show a game where the Yankees are getting their asses whipped.

[1960Fan]

I remember the "78 Massacre". The pitching on that team was far better. Guidry and Figueroa (if I recall correctly) pitched the last 2 games in which they won 7-0 & 7-4. The only pitcher on this team that I really like and feel confident with is Chin Mien Wang. The guy is great. If he stays healthy, and can cut down on injuries, he can be the "ace of the staff" for years to come (assuming they don't trade him).

[Jersey Yankee]

Originally Posted by Casey37

I think I'll pass. They'd probably show a game where the Yankees are getting their asses whipped.

Around March of 2003 or 2004, they'd had some all-Yankee weekend. About 90% of the entire weekend for 24 hours each day, and 1/3 of the next two days was fully Yankee. SportsCenter bios, games, history, everything. That stuff was like I was in heaven.

I haven't watched this in ages.