Argumentation and Persuasion

Essay Three Argumentation and Persuasion

Despite the die-hard commitment of many Boston Red Sox fans, the New York Yankees remain, by far, the most accomplished team in Major League Baseball. The rivalry between New York and Boston is not a new phenomenon at all. This resentment has existed since shortly after the first ever World Series game in 1903. It all began in December of 1920 when the Red Sox sold player, Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees, which would come to be known as the "Curse of the Bambino".

After all, it is the fans that make baseball what it is. For a century it has been noted as "the all-American pastime", where families go to spend quality time and show their pride for their home state. Games bring people together in a supposed "happy" occasion. On the contrary, for many Red Sox fans this pride and togetherness has brought about violent retaliations over losses. Fans even crowd the streets to destroy property chanting "Reverse the Curse" in the celebration of a win! Dare a Yankee fan venture outside, they take the risk of developing physi-cal injuries, or worse, death. Fellow Red Sox fans have been killed in this chaotic ceremony. If, say, one Red Sox fan happens to live in the Bronx and heads to Yankee Stadium to observe an afternoon game between New York and Boston, you can bet that, other than a few jeers, he will leave there unharmed. Why is it that the team so much the underdog of the two is that much more celebrative? It seems obvious. They show their resentment for loss through violence and don't know how to handle a win because of how seldom it occurs. Clearly, Red Sox fans can find nothing more to define them than the local baseball team and so take every loss as a per-sonal offense. Also, it is interesting to see how many of these "Red Sox fans" appeared after their win in the 2004 World Series.

After winning the very first World Series in 1903, the Red Sox went on to win four other World Series in 1912, 1915, 1916, and 1918. They would not win another championship for 86 years. They would not even make it to another World Series until 1946 in which they lost to St. Louis. After the purchase of Babe Ruth in 1920, New York continued to claim ownership over many Boston players throughout the 1920's. It was as if as each player on the Red Sox team got better, they graduated to the level of a Yankee. New York went on to win consistently over the next 82 years. They won 27 championships: 1923, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. The Red Sox by hard work, a little luck, and what many Boston fans claim a "miracle", won