Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Is there anything better than a riveting Cinderella story? The rife underlying messages from these stories go far beyond the triumph. The truth is they impact our lives in ways that are often cryptic to our consciousness. These enthralling, unforeseen feats that are so admirably attained, provide us with much desired hope. To observe such an underdog tale unfold before our eyes, puts a whole new perspective on the adage, “that nothing is impossible.” I cannot concoct a tale that better depicts such a galvanizing story than that of the Red Sox’ mystical 2013 season. The Red Sox went from the mockery of the whole league to World Champions in the span of just one season.
Sure, to most people, who either do not care for the Red Sox or baseball in general, it did not generate the same emotional uplifting that it did for us Red Sox fans. But, for those who invest as much time as I do in supporting and analyzing something bigger than ourselves, it was more than just a victory; more than just a game; more than just a bat and a ball. In that moment, the moment which still lingers so visibly in my mind, when the Red Sox conquered the Cardinals to take home the 2013 World Series, it extracted a perception that anything is possible — even the so-called “impossible.” Our burning passion for the Red Sox is more than just a “silly game,” it is a distraction from the stresses of our everyday lives. We ride the emotional roller-coaster with our team as if we were playing ourselves. We stood emotionless and speechless after Papelbon blew the save in game 162 in 2011, just like beloved skipper Terry Francona. We punched a wall, like Ryan Sweeney, at least once, during the dismal 2012 season. We delivered high fives, like Koji Uehara, during the magical 2013 season.
The Red Sox have allocated some of the fondest memories in my lifetime — even through the bad times. This season in particular taught me to strive for the stars and shoot for the moon — even if people tell you, you can’t. How many people said the Red Sox were going to win the World Series in 2013? Baseball instills latent messages that we do not always pick up on but they are there, and while many things in your life remain unstable, the Red Sox and baseball will always be there.