Ask any baseball fan in New England about the dates 2004, 2007, 2013, or 2018, and you’ll see their eyes light up. It’s a visceral reaction. For nearly a century, the answer to the question of when did red sox win world series was a depressing "not since 1918." That’s a long time. People lived and died without seeing a trophy at Fenway Park.
Honestly, the "Curse of the Bambino" wasn't just some marketing gimmick. It felt real. Selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1920 for a hundred grand and a loan on a theater seemed to haunt the bricks of Brookline Avenue for 86 years. But then everything changed. The modern era of Red Sox baseball has been less about suffering and more about dominance, though the path was never exactly a straight line.
The Breakthrough: 2004 and the End of the Long Wait
If you want to know when did red sox win world series history's most important chapter, you start in October 2004. But you can't talk about the win without talking about the ALCS against the Yankees. They were down 3-0. Nobody comes back from that. It’s statistically impossible—or it was until Dave Roberts swiped second base in Game 4.
The actual World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals was almost an afterthought compared to the emotional exorcism of beating New York. The Sox swept them. Four games to zero. It ended with a ground ball to Keith Foulke. When Doug Mientkiewicz squeezed that ball at first base, the world stopped for a second in Massachusetts.
The 2004 roster was a bunch of "idiots," as Kevin Millar famously called them. You had Johnny Damon’s hair, Pedro Martinez’s dominance, and David Ortiz becoming a living legend. Curt Schilling’s bloody sock wasn't just a gross visual; it became the symbol of a team that refused to die. They didn't just win; they broke a psychological barrier that had crippled a city for generations.
Keeping the Momentum: 2007 and 2013
People sometimes forget how clinical the 2007 win was. While 2004 was high drama, 2007 was just a powerhouse team doing powerhouse things. They swept the Colorado Rockies. Dustin Pedroia was a rookie sensation, and Josh Beckett was pitching like he was from another planet. This win proved that 2004 wasn't a fluke. The Red Sox had officially transitioned from the "lovable losers" to a "big market juggernaut."
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Then came 2013. This one hit different.
The Boston Marathon bombing in April had left the city reeling. The team took on the "Boston Strong" mantra. It sounds cheesy when you write it out now, but at the time, it was the glue holding the community together. David Ortiz’s speech on the infield—the one where he reminded everyone whose city it was—set the tone.
They beat the Cardinals again. This time, they clinched it at home at Fenway Park. That hadn't happened since 1918. Seeing Koji Uehara jump into David Ross’s arms as the final out was recorded felt like a collective hug for the entire state of Massachusetts. It was
probably the most emotional of all the modern titles.
The Most Dominant Team: 2018
If 2004 was for the ancestors and 2013 was for the city, 2018 was for the record books. This team was a machine. They won 108 games in the regular season. Alex Cora, in his first year as manager, seemed to have the Midas touch. Mookie Betts was the MVP. J.D. Martinez was an offensive vacuum, sucking up every RBI in sight.
They faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. It featured that marathon 18-inning Game 3 that lasted over seven hours. Most teams would have been drained. The Red Sox just woke up the next day and kept hitting. They won the series in five games. It solidified the 21st-century Red Sox as the most successful franchise of the new millennium.
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When Did Red Sox Win World Series Before the Curse?
We can't ignore the early days. Before the drought, the Red Sox were the original dynasty. They won the very first World Series in 1903 as the Boston Americans, beating Pittsburgh.
Then came the golden era:
- 1912: A classic series against the Giants.
- 1915: Topping the Phillies.
- 1916: Beating the Brooklyn Robins (who later became the Dodgers).
- 1918: The final win of the Ruth era before the darkness settled in.
When you look at the total timeline of when did red sox win world series, it’s a story of two halves. Five titles in the first 16 years of the 1900s, then nothing for 86 years, and then four titles in 15 years. It’s feast or famine.
Why the Gaps Matter
The years they didn't win are almost as famous as the ones they did. 1946, 1967, 1975, 1986. These are the years of heartbreak. Enos Slaughter’s "mad dash." The "Impossible Dream" falling one game short. Carlton Fisk waving his home run fair in '75 only to lose Game 7. And, of course, Bill Buckner in '86.
Those failures created the "Red Sox Nation" identity. It’s why the 2004 victory parade had three million people. It wasn't just a trophy; it was a release of nearly a century of built-up tension.
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Modern Day Context
Since 2018, things have been a bit more turbulent. Management changes, the trade of Mookie Betts (which still stings for many), and a few last-place finishes in the AL East have made the fan base restless. But that's the thing about the Red Sox—the expectations have shifted. You don't just hope for a winning season anymore; you expect a parade.
The list of World Series titles now stands at nine:
- 1903
- 1912
- 1915
- 1916
- 1918
- 2004
- 2007
- 2013
- 2018
Moving Forward for Fans and Historians
If you're trying to track the success of this franchise, don't just look at the trophies. Look at the roster construction shifts. The 2004 team was built on gritty veterans. The 2018 team was built on homegrown talent like Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. mixed with high-priced free agents.
For those looking to dive deeper into the Red Sox legacy, the best next step is to visit the Hall of Fame at Fenway Park or look into the "Fenway Archives" digital collection. You can see the actual 2004 ring—it's surprisingly heavy. Understanding the history requires looking at the scorecards of the games that weren't won just as much as the ones that were.
Check the current MLB standings to see where the "Bloom-to-Breslow" era transition is heading. The farm system is currently ranked in the top ten by most major outlets, including Baseball America, suggesting that the next entry in the "when did they win" list might be closer than the skeptics think. Keep an eye on the development of middle infielders in Worcester; that's where the next championship core is usually hiding.