The Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Collector's Edition

In 1918, the Boston Red Sox won their fifth World Series. Two years later, team owner Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees, after which the Yanks racked up 25-plus championships over the years, while the Red Sox suffered an 86-year dry spell (brought on, according to lore, by the sale of Ruth—referred to as the “curse of the Bambino”). In 2004, Red Sox nation went ballistic as their team staged the most amazing come-from-behind victory in the history of baseball by taking the final four games against the New York Yankees after losing the first three in the American League Championship Series, and then going on to post a 4-0 sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 100th World Series. The 12-disc The Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Collector's Edition features all 11 playoff games in their entirety on separate discs (with attractive jackets pointing out game highlights and player stats) along with an excellent bonus disc featuring the topnotch feature-length documentary The 2004 World Series Film, narrated by Denis Leary, which revisits the season and features plenty of interview clips with players and celebrity fans. In addition, the bonus disc has 13 featurettes, including “Red Sox Visit the White House,” in which President Bush makes a speech. A beautifully packaged boxed set capturing a momentous event in the history of baseball, this is highly recommended. [Note: The New York Yankees Fall Classic Collector's Edition, 1996-2001, a seven-disc set featuring five full-length World Series games and two bonus discs, is also newly available for $79.95.] Aud: P. (R. Pitman)