In 2004, the Boston Red Sox were once again on the brink of breaking their 86-year World Series drought. After a remarkable end of season rally, they had made it to the American League Championship Series. If it were any other team, the fans might have begun to believe that this might be their year, and some certainly did. However long time Red Sox fans knew better. The Red Sox had come agonizingly close to a long awaited World Series win countless times, only to fall short, oftentimes coming in the exact situation they were currently in, the American League Championship against the New York Yankees. In 2004, when the Red Sox lost the opening three games of the series, fans thought they were done, and things continued to look bleaker as the Sox trailed going into the later innings of game four. It was not until a late inning rally and a walk off home run by David Ortiz, that the fans believed something might be different this time. This picture perfectly captures the spirit of the city of Boston, a spirit that began that night and is now so important to the city. 

This image, and the story behind it may seem trivial to those not interested or aware of the Red Sox story. However, to the people in Boston, or who care about the Red Sox, this is one of the major moments in franchise history. The faces in the crowd demonstrate this. There are many people in the stands celebrating. However, if you look at the faces individually, many of them have looks of shock, or confusion. Red Sox fans were so used to being let down over and over by their team, that no one expected the Red Sox to be able to win this game. Many longtime fans couldn’t even bring themselves to hope for a win, because their hearts had been broken time and time again by the team that they loved. So when David Ortiz sent the ALCS to a fifth game that year, many fans truly did not know what to think. Deep down, this felt like such a changing tide for the team, that people slowly began to recognize that they might be witnessing the start of something great. However, this was only the beginning of a comeback, and the Red Sox still had to win four more games if they wanted a shot at the World Series. The faces in the crowd reflect the fact that many fans were reluctant to believe that this could be their year.

The color scheme in this picture is very interesting. Much of the background is composed of dark, more muted colors. This makes a lot of sense in the context of the image. It was a cold October night, or morning, as it was well past midnight when the photo was taken. The dark colors represent the mood of the fans in the park when it was taken. It was almost as if the fans had dressed for a funeral when they came to the game. They were preparing for the death of their beloved team’s season. The most glaring exception of the dark color scheme of this picture is in the foreground of the picture. You can see David Ortiz in the white Red Sox uniform rounding the bases after his home run. His white uniform in the foreground of the picture represents a beacon of hope for the Red Sox fans. This was such a turning point in the series that gave the Red Sox the steam they needed to go on and win the ALCS. This moment gave both the Red Sox and their fans hope again. This moment has been a source of hope for not only the Red Sox, but the city of Boston in the years that followed, and still today. The streak of white in the middle of the photo represents the light at the end of the tunnel for Red Sox fans after 86 years of not seeing the team they love so much win. They were finally on the brink of glory again, and hope had never been brighter in Red Sox Nation. 

Another important factor in the significance of this image is in the depiction of David Ortiz himself. Many people would expect a player in his position to be celebrating wildly. He had just given his team a lifeline in the series. However, in this image we do not see him celebrating. His head is down, not even looking up to take in the cheering around him. He knew that this meant nothing if the Red Sox did not win the next three games. He was a man on a mission, and was not going to get caught up in premature celebrations. While there were celebrations immediately, ultimately everyone watching understood that this was only the start. There was a lot more work to be done before the Red Sox would get their chance at the World Series. The depiction of David Ortiz in this picture shows the general feeling among Red Sox fans, that while this was a start, the team was still in a very tough place and it would take a lot of hard work, and a lot more luck to get them through the series. 

The general feeling among Red Sox fans, both in Boston and outside the city was very unique in October 2004. It was a very special time for the team, and the city of Boston as a whole. It is a feeling unlike any the city will ever see again. None of would have happened if David Ortiz had not hit a home run to send the ALCS to a fifth game. Before that moment the mood in the city was very different. It was a mood that fans never want to experience ever again. This picture captures the exact moment that the mood in the city shifted. One swing of the bat and an entire city was uplifted. The long suffering Red Sox fans finally had a beacon of hope. After 86 years, and countless heartbreaks, the fans were finally able to believe that their team was on the brink of bringing back a championship to the city that loved baseball, and the Red Sox so much. Taking in the context of the rest of what happened to the Red Sox that fall, with them beating the Yankees and going on to win the World Series, this photo captures one of, if not the most significant moment in Red Sox history.
