Patriots win puts onus back on Red Sox

They knew they would have to rely on pitching. The starters would be Carl Mays, Sad Sam Jones, Bullet Joe Bush and Babe Ruth. Little did they know providence was involved.

The day after Ted Williams was born, they clinched the American League pennant.

Because the U.S. was involved in World War I, President Wilson ordered that the Major League Baseball regular season be over by Labor Day, Thus, the World Series began on Sept. 5 and would conclude on Sept. 18.

They were the American League champion Boston Red Sox, pitted against the Chicago Cubs, with the Cubs choosing to play – egads – at Comisky Park, the home of the rival White Sox. There were more seats, the Cubs said, and they had a right to choose their home field for the World Series. The Sox would play their home games at Fenway Park.

In the first game, Ruth extended to 22 his pitching streak for World Series scoreless innings with a 1-0 shutout of the Cubs . The Red Sox lost the second game, 3-1, but took the series lead for good with a 2-1 victory in the third game.

In the fourth game, Ruth pitched again and hit sixth in the lineup. In the sixth inning, he hit a two-run triple that won the game for the Sox, 3-2, and left them one win away from a World Series championship.

The Sox lost the fifth game 3-0. Game six was delayed in starting because the players were arguing with the owners over how the gate receipts were to be divided (there is nothing new under the sun). When that got settled, the Sox beat the Cubs with two runs in the third for a 2-1 clinching win.

Ruth was 2-0 as a starter in the Series with an 1.06 ERA. He hit only .200 in the six games, but his two RBIs led the Sox. The year was 1918 and the curse was on.

The Bruins were not favored in the Stanley Cup against the New York Rangers. Bruins like Mike Walton and the late Ace Bailey, considered the role players, were Boston heroes by the time this grueling series was over. The goaltending of Ed Johnston was exemplary.

There was, of course, a man named Bobby Orr in the Bruins’ room, who as one writer covering the series put it, “owned” the Rangers. Boston won the Stanley Cup with a 4-2 edge in the series. The year was 1972.

Many consider them to be the one of the greatest NBA teams ever. Former Celtic star guard K.C. Jones coached a front line that had Robert Parrish, Kevin McHale and the newly acquired Bill Walton with Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge in the backcourt.

Everywhere else on the court was Larry Bird. In game six of the NBA finals, Bird recorded a triple-double of 29 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. The Celtics beat the Houston Rockets at Boston Garden in that game 114-97, securing their 16th championship.

With that win at home, the Celtics went 47-1 on the parquet floor. The year was 1986.

He was only 24 and the fourth in line to take quarterback snaps when training camp opened. When the Super Bowl MVP went to him, the final ribbon on the biggest surprise football package in New England history was secure.

Tom Brady had led THE DRIVE of 53 yards with 1:21 left in regulation. Adam Vinatieri found the middle of the goalposts and New England went nuts. That, in case you were ice fishing on East Grand, was on Sunday.

These are the last championships won by the Sox, Bruins, Celtics and Pats. Call me crazy, but Red Sox, I think it’s your turn.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and NBC sportscaster.