For 86 long years, the Boston Red Sox were plagued by what came to be known as the “Curse of the Bambino.” This legendary hex was believed to have begun in 1919, when the Red Sox sold their star player George Herman “Babe” Ruth to the New York Yankees. Following the sale, the Yankees rose to dominance while the Red Sox became synonymous with heartbreak, near-misses, and a legacy of loss. Fans whispered of bad luck, superstition, and cosmic retribution. With each passing season, the myth grew heavier, etched into the very fabric of baseball history, haunting Fenway Park and every Red Sox faithful who dared to hope.
It is this decades-long drought of triumph that the Netflix documentary The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox
unpacks, revealing how the team finally shattered the curse and made one of the most extraordinary comebacks in sports history.
Netflix shows how the Red Sox reversed fate with grit and glory
The Boston Red Sox ended 86 years of heartbreak in 2004 by accomplishing the unthinkable. After trailing the New York Yankees three games to none in the American League Championship Series, they made a historic comeback to win the series 4–3. This stunning reversal was followed by a dominant World Series sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals, officially crushing the infamous ‘Curse of the Bambino’ that had haunted the franchise since 1919.
The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox premieres October 23.
The documentary series looks back at one of the greatest comebacks in sports history — when the Boston Red Sox broke the infamous “Curse of the Bambino” and defeated their archrivals, the New York Yankees — going on to win… pic.twitter.com/aGd5iJ3ud8
— Netflix (@netflix) September 9, 2024
The Netflix documentary The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox
explores this legendary season in rich detail. Through game footage, interviews, and inside stories, it offers an in-depth look at the pivotal plays and personalities that shaped the team’s transformation. The series captures not just the athletic brilliance, but also the emotional weight of breaking a curse that had become myth. For any fan of sport or story, it is a chronicle worth watching.
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Beyond the triumph, this win had lasting effects on the way baseball games and seasons were approached from that moment on.
How the 2004 win raised the stakes and shattered baseball’s old narratives
The 2004 Boston Red Sox victory dismantled old baseball narratives by showing that no deficit was too great to overcome. After trailing 0-3 against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series, the Red Sox staged an improbable comeback that became a defining moment in baseball history. This win changed the game, proving that perseverance could rewrite the script and making underdog stories a possible reality.
October 20th, 2004: The Red Sox complete the greatest comeback in sports history
Joe Castiglione on the call… pic.twitter.com/RAfjNS5SSt
— Boston Sports Throwback (@BOSthrowback) October 20, 2024
The impact of this victory rippled through future seasons, influencing the approach to postseason play. Teams no longer accepted defeat as inevitable, and resilience became a critical factor in championship success. The Red Sox’s triumph set the stage for future upsets, like the San Francisco Giants’ 2010 and Chicago Cubs’ 2016 wins. While you watch the best sports documentaries on Netflix with your friends
, remember how one season forever shifted the expectations of the game.
Read More: ‘UNTOLD’ Kicks off New Season With the ‘Fall of Favre’ and Two Must-See Sports Stories
What do you think made their victory so unforgettable? Comment below!
