History Lesson

The Boston-New York rivalry dates to 1903, when the two teams
were known as the Pilgrims and Highlanders, respectively. Here
are some intriguing numbers from the majors' most storied
matchup.

--New York, known as the Yankees since 1913, leads the series
1,031-843. New York has lost to Boston, renamed the Red Sox in
1907, more than it has to any other team except the Detroit
Tigers (881).

--Since George Steinbrenner took over the Yankees in 1973, New
York leads the regular-season series 202-201. In that span the
Yankees have won nine American League titles and six World
Series; the Red Sox have won two AL pennants.

--The teams have combined to win 48 of 100 American League
championships and 31 of the league's 57 World Series titles.

-Boston won all five of its World Series championships before New
York won the first of its 26, in 1923.

--The teams have finished one-two in the standings 14 times,
including in each of the past four seasons. New York was the
first-place team on 11 of those 14 occasions, including the last
four.

--In 1923 the Yankees' 24-man postseason roster featured 11 former
Red Sox players, including Babe Ruth and the pitchers responsible
for three of New York's four World Series victories.

--Ted Williams was the American League MVP twice and finished
second in the voting four times--all to Yankees (in 1941 and '47
to Joe DiMaggio, in '42 to Joe Gordon and in '57 to Mickey
Mantle).

--Three Yankees--George Modridge, Allie Reynolds and Dave
Righetti--have thrown no-hitters against the Red Sox. Two Boston
pitchers, Cy Young and Rube Foster, have thrown no-hitters
against New York.

--David Sabino

B/W PHOTO: BETTMANN NEWSPHOTOS LEGENDS Williams (left) had a career to remember, but Yankees such as DiMaggio kept him from winning even more awards.