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Quiz about YankeesRed Sox Rivalry Continues  2003 Edition
Quiz about YankeesRed Sox Rivalry Continues  2003 Edition

Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry Continues : 2003 Edition Quiz


In the year 2003, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox played each other a record 26 times over the course of the regular season and playoffs. What do you remember of that season?

A multiple-choice quiz by NYFOREVER. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
NYFOREVER
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
151,729
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
1267
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. In December 2002, free agent pitcher José Contreras was a defector from Cuba. He announced that he would entertain contract offers from all major league teams. Only the Yankees and Red Sox were interested in signing him. What extraordinary measures did the Red Sox go to in an attempt to beat out the Yankees in signing Contreras? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. On May 26, 2003, which Yankee pitcher tried for his 300th career victory against his former team, the Red Sox? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The Yankees and Red Sox exchanged positions between first and second place in the American Leagues' Eastern Division several times during the first 3 months of the 2003 season. The Yankees had moved into first place on June 12, but on July 7, the Red Sox were still right behind them. During their game at Yankee Stadium on that day, Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez hit two Yankee batters in the 1st inning. Which two Yankees were they? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. The Yankees and Red Sox played six games against each other over two weekends in late August and early September of 2003. The Yankees won 2 out of 3 in Boston, but the Red Sox won the first 2 games in New York one week later, cutting the Yankee lead to 1 1/2 games. In their final regular season meeting, which Yankee hit a home run late in the game to lead his team to victory? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. The 2003 American League batting race was a close one all season. Which Red Sox player won the batting title? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. After defeating their respective opponents in the Division Series, the Yankees and Red Sox faced off in the American League Championship Series for the second time in five years. They split the first two games in New York, and played game 3 on a Saturday afternoon in Boston. Tensions were high when which Yankee coach was flipped to the ground in the middle of a bench clearing brawl? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. The Red Sox won Game 4, Yankees won Game 5, then the Red Sox won Game 6 to force a Game 7 at Yankee Stadium in the playoffs. The pitching matchup was a rematch of Game 3, Roger Clemens against Pedro Martinez. The Red Sox took an early 4-0 lead by the top of the 4th inning, forcing Clemens from the game. How many starting pitchers did the Yankees use out of the bullpen over the next 5 innings in an attempt to keep Boston from gaining a bigger lead? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. What did Boston manager Grady Little do in the bottom of the 8th inning of their Game 7 playoff that was so controversial? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Who hit a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning of the Game 7 playoff, to win the game and the pennant for the Yankees? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Who was named MVP of the 2003 American League Championship Series? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In December 2002, free agent pitcher José Contreras was a defector from Cuba. He announced that he would entertain contract offers from all major league teams. Only the Yankees and Red Sox were interested in signing him. What extraordinary measures did the Red Sox go to in an attempt to beat out the Yankees in signing Contreras?

Answer: They booked up all of the rooms in the hotel where Contreras was staying.

The Red Sox really tried this to keep the Yankees from getting close to Contreras in the Hotel Campo Real in Managua, Nicaragua. The Yankees simply met with Contreras elsewhere, and signed him to a 4 year contract. After they announced the deal on December 26, 2002, Red Sox President Larry Lucchino was angry enough to call the Yankees the "Evil Empire". Rumor has it that Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein broke a chair and a window in a rage when he heard the news.

He denied the story, calling it ridiculous.
2. On May 26, 2003, which Yankee pitcher tried for his 300th career victory against his former team, the Red Sox?

Answer: Roger Clemens

On Memorial Day, in his first attempt at his 300th win, Clemens was roughed up by the Red Sox. He gave up 8 runs in 5 2/3 innings, getting the loss. After a few more tries, Clemens eventually got his 300th win in mid-June against the St. Louis Cardinals. He also got his 4,000th career strikeout in the same game.
3. The Yankees and Red Sox exchanged positions between first and second place in the American Leagues' Eastern Division several times during the first 3 months of the 2003 season. The Yankees had moved into first place on June 12, but on July 7, the Red Sox were still right behind them. During their game at Yankee Stadium on that day, Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez hit two Yankee batters in the 1st inning. Which two Yankees were they?

Answer: Alfonso Soriano and Derek Jeter.

Soriano was hit on the hand while swinging, and Jeter was hit in nearly the same place. This angered many Yankee fans in attendance. Both batters left the game, but x-rays were negative for both. Mike Mussina out-dueled Martinez that day, leading the Yankees to a 2-1 win.

This kept them safely ahead of Boston. Yankee owner George Steinbrenner became so emotional over the game while talking to reporters that he was moved to tears.
4. The Yankees and Red Sox played six games against each other over two weekends in late August and early September of 2003. The Yankees won 2 out of 3 in Boston, but the Red Sox won the first 2 games in New York one week later, cutting the Yankee lead to 1 1/2 games. In their final regular season meeting, which Yankee hit a home run late in the game to lead his team to victory?

Answer: Bernie Williams

Bernie homered in the 7th inning to break a scoreless tie. The Yankees eventually won the game 3-1. They held their first place lead for the rest of the season to finish in first place for the 6th year in a row. The Red Sox finished in second place for the 6th year in a row, making the playoffs as the Wild Card winner. The Yankees won the season series 10-9.
5. The 2003 American League batting race was a close one all season. Which Red Sox player won the batting title?

Answer: Bill Mueller

Red Sox 3rd baseman Bill Mueller won the title on the last day of the season, with a .326 average. He narrowly beat out teammate Manny Ramirez, who finished at .325. Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter finished third in the race, at .324. It was one of the closest batting title races in history.
6. After defeating their respective opponents in the Division Series, the Yankees and Red Sox faced off in the American League Championship Series for the second time in five years. They split the first two games in New York, and played game 3 on a Saturday afternoon in Boston. Tensions were high when which Yankee coach was flipped to the ground in the middle of a bench clearing brawl?

Answer: Don Zimmer

It all started in the top of the 4th inning when Pedro Martinez threw a pitch behind Yankee batter Karim Garcia. Garcia took exception to it, and angry words were exchanged between Martinez and the Yankee dugout. When the bottom of the inning began, Manny Ramirez thought a Roger Clemens fastball came too close to him, and walked toward the mound waving his bat. Both benches cleared, and just as order was being restored, Zimmer charged towards Martinez, causing Martinez to flip Zimmer to the ground. Zimmer was helped off the field with a cut nose.

The Yankees eventually won the game 4-3 to take a 2-1 series lead, but not before another fight in the 9th inning. This one involved Yankee reliever Jeff Nelson and right fielder Karim Garcia, in the bullpen against a Fenway Park groundskeeper. Both sides eventually filed criminal charges against each other.
7. The Red Sox won Game 4, Yankees won Game 5, then the Red Sox won Game 6 to force a Game 7 at Yankee Stadium in the playoffs. The pitching matchup was a rematch of Game 3, Roger Clemens against Pedro Martinez. The Red Sox took an early 4-0 lead by the top of the 4th inning, forcing Clemens from the game. How many starting pitchers did the Yankees use out of the bullpen over the next 5 innings in an attempt to keep Boston from gaining a bigger lead?

Answer: 2

Mike Mussina came into the game in the top of the 4th inning with no outs and runners on first and third. He pitched out of the inning, and shut Boston out through the 6th inning. It was the first relief appearance of Mussina's professional career. Jason Giambi hit solo homers in the bottom of the 5th and 7th innings.

The Red Sox led 4-2 in the top of the 8th inning, when starter David Wells came in to pitch. David Ortiz hit his first pitch for a homerun to give the Red Sox a 5-2 lead.
8. What did Boston manager Grady Little do in the bottom of the 8th inning of their Game 7 playoff that was so controversial?

Answer: He left Martinez in to pitch even though he had thrown 118 pitches

The Yankees were rallying in the bottom of the 8th inning. They had scored one run to make it 5-3, and had runners on second and third with only one out. Little went out to talk to Martinez, who was clearly tiring. He left Martinez in to pitch to Jorgé Posada, who hit a double off of him to tie the game at 5-5. Martinez was then yanked from the game. Relievers Alan Embree and Mike Timlin got out of the inning without giving up any more runs. Little was fired by the Red Sox a month later.
9. Who hit a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning of the Game 7 playoff, to win the game and the pennant for the Yankees?

Answer: Aaron Boone

Tim Wakefield had come into the game in the bottom of the 10th inning. The game stayed tied into the bottom of the 11th inning. Aaron Boone, who had entered the game in the 8th as a pinch runner, hit the first pitch he saw in the 11th into the left field seats for a game winning home run and sending the Yankees to their 6th World Series in 8 years.

The stadium crowd, which included me, went completely crazy, people jumping on top of each other, hugging, etc. The scene on the field among the Yankee players was the same.

The Yankees went on to lose the World Series in six games to the Florida Marlins. Boston's World Series drought would last at least one more year.
10. Who was named MVP of the 2003 American League Championship Series?

Answer: Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera won the award for his pitching performance in games 2, 3, 5, and 7. He pitched 8 innings, with 2 saves and 1 win. Wakefield led Red Sox pitchers with a 2-1 record, Jorgé Posada led Yankee batters with 6 RBI's, and Walker led Red Sox batters with a .370 average.

Heading into game 7, the two teams had scored the same amount of runs, with 24 each. It was one of the most closely contested post-season series ever.
Source: Author NYFOREVER

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