Why Not Us?: The 86-year Journey of the Boston Red Sox Fans From Unparalleled Suffering to the Promised Land of the 2004 World Series

by Leigh Montville

Generation after generation watched and hoped and prayed for victory. And generation after generation turned away frustrated and disappointed- 1946 (when the Sox lost the World Series in 7 games), '48 (lost a one game play-off to Cleveland), '49 (heartbreak to the Yankees), '67 (again, lost the Series in 7), '75 (and again, lost the Series in 7), Bucky in '78, Buckner in '86, Boone in 2003. Yet every spring the fans flocked back, hopeful again. The losing, the angst, the self-flagellation became so routine that it even developed marketing names. The suffering was called "The Curse of the Bambino". The sufferers were called "Red Sox Nation" - the ultimate underdogs. Would it ever end? And then it did. Why Not Us? is about what the Red Sox's amazing victory in the 2004 World Series meant to the fans. It's about how it felt to be a Red Sox fan - not only at 20 minutes to midnight on October 27, 2004, but decades before. Leigh Montville, best-selling author of Ted Williams and At the Altar of Speed , has interviewed dozens of friends, friends of friends, old sportswriters, ball-players, public figures, and plain folk. Here are their stories-bittersweet stories of passion and pain, eternal hope and crushing despair, the seemingly endless agony and the strange ecstasy of being a Red Sox fan.

Genres: Sports, Baseball, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published December 13, 2004

About the author

Leigh Montville is a highly respected sportswriter, columnist and author. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.Montville is married to Diane Foster and has two children. He lives in Massachusetts and is an ardent supporter of the Boston Red Sox.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me about two and a half weeks to read. It was a 50/50 book, the reason i gave this book a 50/50 is because, it has great history and facts about the way fans reacted towards the Boston Red Sox about winning the 2004 World Series. This was the good part of the book,the not so good part was that during all the facts and history i believe that the author gets a little bit off topic and goes into it too much. Overall i would read it a second time if i really had some spare time. I gave this book a 3/5 stars, i would recommend this book to anyone who likes the Red Sox, interested in the history of the Red Sox or MLB (major league baseball) etc thank you

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leigh Montvilled compiled this book after the Red Sox completed their amazing comeback and win in the 2004 ALCS and subsequent World Series championship.

The only negative thing that I have to say about this book is that, at one point, he compared the victory to "stepping out the front door in Stalingrad the morning after the Germans had departed the city limits." I'm sorry, but there is no trivial sports victory that could compare to the world defeating the Germans. In the face of something like Nazi Germany, all sports victories are meaningless.

That comparison happened early in the book, though, and moving on, this wonderful little book is filled with stories. I wasn't expecting what I got out of this book at all. I wasn't sure what to expect. But it is filled with page after page of testimonies of people who were affected by the Red Sox, their 86-year long struggle, and the ultimate victory in the 2004 World Series.

Time after time I was moved to tears by words of dozens of different people. The hardest to read were the people who were remembering lost loved ones who never got to see the Red Sox win. There were a handful who had family members who were actually alive when the last championship was won in 1918.

The Red Sox won eight consecutive games to finish the 2004 playoffs. They did something that had never been done in baseball history, and had only been done twice in all of sports. They came back from a 3-0 deficit to win the ALCS. I remember it well. I remember the morning after the third loss to the Yankees (a 19-8 debacle), thinking, "They aren't even going to win a game." I was already thinking about next year.

But then the unbelievable happened. And it all started with a pinch runner and a stolen base. The rest is history. In fact, the World Series was almost anti-climactic as the Sox swept the Cardinals, who were never really even in the game.

Why Not Us? remembers it well for us, with countless stories told by Red Sox fans of all ages. It's the kind of book you could pick up and read a page or two at any time. It's a great book for baseball and a great book for baseball fans.

[Zachary Obel-Omia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I’ve heard the story of the 2004 Boston Red Sox so many times and that’s the only way I’ve been able to consume it as I was only 3 years old when it was actually happening. That’s why it was refreshing to not hear the story again, but instead to hear the story of "Red Sox Nation" I especially loved the section where everyone was saying who the Red Sox should win it for whether it be someone who recently passed, passed during the drought, players that played for the team in the years of the drought, or even fans or players that are currently alive and rooting for the team or on the team. It’s not the same, because since I started really watching baseball the Red Sox have never been in a drought, but I remember watching the Red Sox in 2021 during their postseason run and crying on a plane from Lisbon Portugal to London England while I was studying abroad after watching the Red Sox win in the ALDS even though they were big underdogs. I was incredibly happy, but also sad because I wished that my grandfather was alive to watch it as well especially because I have watched so many games with him both on TV and at Fenway including game 1 of the 2018 World Series. The Sox would go on to lose to the Astros in 6 games (partially due to a horrible Las Diaz call), but I still would’ve wanted to see his reaction to this magical run the Red Sox were having after being terrible the season prior. Everyone has stories and this is why it was very interesting to hear all these stories especially from average Red Sox fans just like me and my family. One thing I didn’t like about this book is that it kept jumping around and I would’ve preferred that the reactions about some regular season Yankees games or even the Angels postseason series was earlier in the book to set the scene more for the more important series of the ALCS and of course the breaking the actual drought by winning the World Series. Other then then the organization of the book though I loved it a lot and it was a nice quick read. I do hope to continue to read more sports books especially baseball books this year of incredible stories.

[Mamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, 2004. The primal year when Red Sox Nation caught a glimpse of heaven, and it was everything we had ever longed for. Reading that I was not the only parent who woke up their small child to whisper "Mommy's team won" and bring her outside to see the red moon brought all those happy tears back.
Current generations of fans take the Red Sox winning a World Series every now and then as the way life is. We older folk know that to have been a Red Sox fan was to endure Shakespearian tragedies every fall. I used to joke that Sox fans were superior because we loved our team even though they made us suffer. (Not so big on making suffering sacred anymore). Reading this collection of memories and reflections about the Sox's first modern day World Series win was a wonderful afternoon spent with Nostalgia, like eating a fine meal with your best friend and talking about the journey you have been on together.

[Bj Shea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just the classic quickie book after the Red Sox win in 2004. Sox For Life.

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to give this book 5 stars because it's all about the 2004 Sox winning the series, come on now! This book was written to include many thoughts from fans all around the country and how it made them feel when the Sox finally won it all again. There were countless stories of people that had been a fan their whole life, and their dying wish was to see the Sox win the series. There were also stories of those that did not see their beloved Sox wim before they passed on. Great book all around, especially for the Sox fan!!

[J atPeace-inthestorm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember rooting for the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 World Series. And nothing could possibly capture the excitement of baseball fans, especially Red Sox fans, when Boston did what they hadn't done in almost a century. As much as I enjoy baseball, I find written accounts of baseball a bit dull. Boston isn't my team either, so this book was no exception. While Why Not Us? certainly relates an interesting event in sports history, I think those who would enjoy this book the most are, surprise surprise, Red Sox fans.

BE AWARE:
- language—Rough language is used from time to time.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bits and pieces from an assortment of fans, writers, players, etc. Includes several pages dedicated to the Red Sox fans "Win It For" internet thread. Not really uncharted waters for me, but it was good to revisit some of the emotions of the '04 post season. The best is saved for last as he reprints his column in the Boston Globe's World Series Champions edition. Strong finish. Otherwise, for Sox fans only. Book was a gift from Mum. Thanks, Mum.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unsual book, this one interviews the long standing fans after the Red Sox 2004 World Series win. The stories were funny, sweet, bittersweet, etc... I only hope if the Houston Astros don't win the World Series in my lifetime that my descendants will remember me when [if:] they do as these fans remembered their parents, grandparents and friends that didn't live long enough to see it.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this will make you cry- so many stories of people that waited their whole lives for a world series title

[Dawn Rook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading everyone's personal stories.

[Angelica Euara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Becoming a sports fan isn't as easy as others think.