Brenda, My Internet Bride, is a native of New Hampshire, where she lived almost her entire life.
I was born and raised on a Vermont dairy farm; I left as soon as I could.
I’ve seen the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s play baseball; but, being, like Brenda, a New Englander, I have two favorite teams:
- The Boston Red Sox, and
- Whoever’s playing the Yankees.
In 2004, Brenda was living–for the first time–outside of New Hampshire, and I had returned to the scene of my earliest crimes: Vermont.
And from our Vermont home we traveled for our second trip together to Walt Disney World during the 2004 World Series. So, while Brenda and I enjoyed our second dose of Disney World Magic, the Red Sox were producing some magic of their own.
2004 was Red Sox manager Terry Francona‘s first year.
Even before the World Series began, he had led to Red Sox to an historic victory.
The Red Sox were the American League “wild card” team; they had failed to win their division, but had the best overall record among non-winners in the American League. There are three divisions in both the American and National Leagues, so to have four teams for the playoffs, there is always a “wild card” team.
As my friend, and Toastmaster Humorous Speech Champion Mike Harris put it, to get to the World Series the Red Sox had to “go through” the Yankees. And that Yankees vs. Red Sox American League Championship Series was historic.
The Yankees won the first three out of seven games. Never in the history of baseball had any team down three to zip ever won any seven game championship. Never. Ever.
To be down three games to nothing was a death rattle–sports casters reminded every viewer over and over and over and over (“Repetition is very good; Repetition is very good; Repetition is very, very, very, very, good, good, good, good”): no team had ever won after losing the first three games of a championship series.
Until 2004.
The Red Sox won the next four straight games, defeating the New York Yankees, and hurtling the Red Sox into the World Series. They had not had such a chance for 18 years.
A chance to break “The Curse of the Bambino.” For the Red Sox had never won a World Series since they had traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees over 80 years earlier (1919). Before the trade, the Red Sox were one of baseball’s most winning teams–after, not so much.
Meanwhile, Brenda and I enjoyed Walt Disney World by day, and watched World Series Games by night.
Princess Brenda
Roger Crowned "Goofy"
The Red Sox swept the series.
So, not only did they become the first baseball team in history to win a championship after losing the first three out of seven games (just getting to game seven was an historic achievement!), after losing those first three games, the Red Sox won the next eight in a row, ending up as World Series Champions for the first time since Babe Ruth had not played for their team.
Brenda and I saw the last out of that historic game from the comfort of our bed in our hotel (I had to nudge Brenda awake to witness the victory–it was, after all, past 9 p.m.). The next morning we rose very early to bring Rebecca–who’d been our guest that trip–to the airport. We decided to have breakfast at Spoodles, where we had enjoyed our many honeymoon breakfasts.
Our Last Spoodles Breakfast: Delicious!
We had decided to “take the day off” from Walt Disney World, and spend the day relaxing at the resort.
But then Brenda said, “We could go to a park.” And we were off to a bonus day at Magic Kingdom.
2004 Bonus Day at Magic Kingdom: Note Hats!
We spent the day, and enjoyed the Magic Parade:
2004 MK Share a Dream Come True Parade
Usually, as the parade passes, Cast Members remove the parade ropes and barriers. But this time, they did not. Brenda asked me to find out what was going on, and so I asked a Cast Member why they weren’t closing the parade route. He asked, “Are you Red Sox fans?” Brenda shouted, “YES!” “Well,” the man said, “it’s possible there will be some Red Sox here soon.” Then he pointed to an empty spot and added, “If I were a Red Sox fan, I’d stand right there.” We thanked the man, and stood where he indicated.
In just a few minutes, there was, indeed, a second parade:
- 2004 Boston Red Sox World Series Champions
- “Pedro Martinez, your team just won the World Series. What are you going to do now?” “I’m going to Disney World!”
- “David Ortiz, your team just won the World Series. What are you going to do now?” “I’m going to Disney World!”
So, Brenda and I were able to “Share A Dream” that day in 2004. While the Red Sox had finally broke their “curse,” and were celebrating their historic victory, Brenda and I enjoyed another day filled with Disney Magic.
Now, I have no idea who will win–or even who will play in–this year’s World Series (and the Yankees are still in the race), and I also realize that all championships–indeed, competitions of every sort–are designed not to create winners, but to create losers (once you run out of losers, what is left is crowned the winner), but whenever anyone achieves a fantastic goal, they often say they will celebrate how? “I’m going to Disney World!”
Why?
Because Disney World is Magical. A place where anything could happen. A place where you leave your everyday, regular, normal world behind, and enter the world of Magic, Enchantment, and Where Anything Is Possible.
There is something about Disney World that simply says: “You are special.”
Brenda and I fell in love with each other, then we both fell in love with Walt Disney World. Our loves continue to grow, and the more time we spend at Disney, the more Magical it becomes.
Enjoy your own Disney Magic–where ever you may be!
Today’s Not-So-Hidden-Mickey:
Mickey Mouse is a Red Sox!
