The New York Yankees' Bucky Dent hits a home run in the seventh inning of the October 2, 1978 American League playoff game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
On July 19, 1978, the Sox were 19 games ahead of the New York Yankees. But new Yankee manager Bob Lemon, who replaced the irascible Billy Martin during the ’78 season, inspired his team, and the Yankees went on a tear. A one-game playoff, played at Fenway on October 2nd, was needed to determine the division champ. From that day on, the name of pint-sized Yankees shortstop Bucky Dent would be cursed throughout New England. Dent’s unlikely three-run homer over the Monster helped the Yankees win the game, 5-4. “Bucky” would be one of numerous ‘B’ words that haunted the Sox (Curse of the Bambino, Aaron Boone, Bill Buckner) until they laid them all to rest in 2004, the year Boston finally won the World Series.