Editing Boston Red Sox (section)

===1901–1919: The Golden Era===
[[File:Boston Americans team picture.jpg|left|thumb|The 1901 Boston Americans team photograph]]
In 1901, the minor Western League, led by [[Ban Johnson]], declared itself to be equal to the [[National League (baseball)|National League]], then the only major league in baseball.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1901-01-28 |title=Moguls Issue A Statement |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-moguls-issue-a-state/164256878/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Courier-Journal |page=6 |publication-place=Louisville, Kentucky |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Johnson had changed the name of the league to the [[American League]] prior to the 1900 season.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1899-10-12 |title=Name Changed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-times-name-changed/164256926/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Buffalo Times |page=10 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In 1901, the league created a franchise in Boston, called the "Boston Americans", to compete with the National League team there.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1901-01-28 |title=Johnson Talks About His Plans |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-citizen-johnson-talks-about/164256968/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Brooklyn Citizen |page=5 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1901-02-01 |title=Ponies Are Out; Buffalo Is In |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-ponies-are-out-b/164251543/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Democrat and Chronicle |page=13 |publication-place=Rochester, New York |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

[[File:Boston Americans logo.png|thumb|upright|The Americans logo, 1901–1907]]
Playing their home games at [[Huntington Avenue Grounds]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=1901-02-11 |title=Three Leagues Baseball Plans |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-three-leagues-baseball-plans/164251636/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Journal |page=4 |publication-place=Meriden, Connecticut |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> the Boston franchise finished second in the league in 1901 and third in 1902.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1901-09-27 |title=Tame Finish To An Exciting Game |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/boston-post-tame-finish-to-an-exciting-g/164251739/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Boston Post |page=3 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1902-09-30 |title=American League Results |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-american-league-results/164251787/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Boston Globe |page=5 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The team was originally owned by [[Charles Somers|C.W. Somers]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=1902-01-29 |title=Killilea Owns Boston Club |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-killilea-owns-boston-clu/164251850/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Chicago Tribune |page=6 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In January 1902, he sold all but one share of the team to [[Henry Killilea]].<ref name=":1" />

The early teams were led by manager and star [[third baseman]] [[Jimmy Collins]], outfielders [[Chick Stahl]], [[Buck Freeman]], and [[Patsy Dougherty]], and [[pitcher]] [[Cy Young]], who in 1901 won the pitching [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]] with 33 wins (41.8% of the team's 79 wins), 1.62 ERA and 158 strikeouts.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Cy Young Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngcy01.shtml |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1903-09-18 |title=Base Ball Notes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star-base-ball-notes/164252067/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Evening star |page=9 |publication-place=Washington, District of Columbia |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1901-10-17 |title=Base Ball Aftermath |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-journal-base-ball-aftermath/164252886/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=News Journal |page=3 |publication-place=Mansfield, Ohio |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

In 1903, the team won their first American League pennant<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=1903-09-18 |title=The Boston Americans Clinch Championship |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-weekly-gazette/7170780/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette |page=9 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> and, as a result, [[1903 Boston Americans season|Boston]] participated in the [[1903 World Series|first modern World Series]], going up against the [[1903 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=1903-10-14 |title=Boston Americans Are The Champions Of The World |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/37119518/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Boston Globe |page=1 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Aided by the modified chants of "[[Tessie]]" by the [[Royal Rooters]] [[fan club]] and by its stronger pitching staff, the Americans won the best-of-nine series five games to three.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1903-10-14 |title=Champions of the World |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-champions-of-the-world/164253037/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Boston Globe |page=5 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>[[File:WorldSeries1903-640.jpg|left|thumb|Iconic photo of the Huntington Avenue Grounds before the first modern World Series game]]

In April 1904, the team was purchased by [[John I. Taylor]] of Boston.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1904-04-19 |title=Today's Globe Contents |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-todays-globe-contents/164253097/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Boston Globe |page=1 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1904-04-19 |title=Boston Americans Sold |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press-boston-america/164253145/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Burlington Free Press |page=3 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The 1904 team found itself in a pennant race against the [[1904 New York Highlanders season|New York Highlanders]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1904-10-06 |title=Today's Globe Contents |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-todays-globe-contents/164253214/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Boston Globe |page=1 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> A predecessor to what became a storied rivalry, this race featured the trade of Patsy Dougherty to the Highlanders for [[Bob Unglaub]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1904-06-18 |title=Boston Trades With Griffith |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-boston-trades-with-griff/164253252/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Chicago Tribune |page=10 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In order to win the pennant, the Highlanders needed to win both games of their final doubleheader with the Americans at the Highlanders' home stadium, [[Hilltop Park]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1904-10-10 |title=Greatest Race of All |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-washington-post-greatest-race-of-all/164253299/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Washington Post |page=8 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> With [[Jack Chesbro]] on the mound, and the score tied 2–2 with a man on third in the top of the ninth, a spitball got away from Chesbro and [[Lou Criger]] scored the go-ahead run and the Americans won their second pennant.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1904-10-11 |title=Bostons Again Champions Of National Game |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-inter-ocean-bostons-again-champions/164253350/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Inter Ocean |page=4 |publication-place=Chicago, Illinois |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> However, the NL champion [[1904 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] declined to play any [[1904 World Series|postseason series]], but a sharp public reaction led the two leagues to make the World Series a permanent championship, starting in 1905.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1904-09-27 |title=Giants Won't Play |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/elmira-star-gazette-giants-wont-play/164253414/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Elmira Star-Gazette |page=3 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1904-12-18 |title=National League Practically Forced To Post Season Series |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-and-review-national-league-practi/164253485/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Herald and Review |page=8 |publication-place=Decatur, Illinois |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1905-02-13 |title=Big Leagues to Meet |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-washington-post-big-leagues-to-meet/164253545/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Washington Post |page=15 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
[[File:Boston_Americans_season_pass,_1906.jpg|left|thumb|A season pass for the 1906 season]]
In [[1906 Boston Americans season|1906]], Boston lost 105 games and finished last in the league.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1906-10-08 |title=Base Ball Season Closed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-base-ball-season-closed/164253599/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Tennessean |page=7 |publication-place=Nashville, Tennessee |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In December 1907, Taylor proposed that the Boston Americans name change to the Boston Red Sox.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1907-12-19 |title=To Be Known As "Red Sox" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-to-be-known-as-red-sox/156807027/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Boston Globe |page=4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

By 1909, [[center fielder]] [[Tris Speaker]] had become a fixture in the Boston outfield,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1909-11-18 |title=Rigler Praises Speaker |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-york-dispatch-rigler-praises-speaker/164253686/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The York Dispatch |page=5 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> and the team finished the season in third place.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1909-10-04 |title=Americans Finish Up |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-americans-finish-up/164253757/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Boston Globe |page=5 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In [[1912 Major League Baseball season|1912]], the Red Sox won 105 games and the pennant.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1912-10-07 |title=Pennants Are Won By Large Margins |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-pennants-are-won-by-la/164253784/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Tampa Tribune |page=4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The 105 wins stood as the club record until the 2018 club won 108.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pence |first=Owen |date=2018-09-25 |title=Sox set franchise wins record |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-sox-set-franchise-wins/164254124/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Boston Globe |page=D5 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Caldera |first=Pete |date=2018-10-01 |title=Voit's power surge continues in Yankees' regular-season finale |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-voits-power-surge-continues/164254176/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Record |page=S7 |publication-place=Hackensack, New Jersey |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Anchored by an outfield including Tris Speaker, [[Harry Hooper]] and [[Duffy Lewis]], and pitcher [[Smoky Joe Wood]], the Red Sox beat the New York Giants 4–3–1 in the [[1912 World Series]] best known for [[Snodgrass's Muff]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Grillo |first=J. Ed |date=1912-10-17 |title=Yesterday's Game Marked End of Most Poorly Played World's Series |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star-yesterdays-game-marked-end/164254267/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Evening star |page=18 |publication-place=Washington, District of Columbia |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

[[File:1911 Boston Red Sox at Spring Training, Arizona, March 1911, by an unknown photographer, from the Digital Commonwealth - commonwealth sf268596z.jpg|thumb|Boston Red Sox at Spring Training, Arizona. Michael T. "Nuf Ced" McGreevy Collection, Boston Public Library]]

From 1913 to 1916, the Red Sox were owned by [[Joseph Lannin]]. In 1914, Lannin signed a young up-and-coming pitcher named [[Babe Ruth]] from the [[Baltimore Orioles (minor league)|Baltimore Orioles]] of the [[International League]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1913-12-01 |title=Ban Johnson Swings Big Deal For Boston Red Sox |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star-ban-johnson-swings-big-deal/164254348/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Evening star |page=15 |publication-place=Washington, District of Columbia |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1916-11-30 |title=New Owners Of Red Sox Talk With Johnson |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-new-owners-of-red-sox-ta/164254400/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Quad-City Times |page=10 |publication-place=Davenport, Iowa |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1914-07-10 |title=3 More Orioles Sold |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-3-more-orioles-sold/164254440/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Baltimore Sun |page=5 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In 1915, the team won 101 games and went on to the [[1915 World Series]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=1915-10-08 |title=League Finals |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal-league-finals/164254480/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The News Journal |page=18 |publication-place=Wilmington, Delaware |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> where they beat the [[1915 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] four games to one.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ryder |first=Jack |date=1915-10-14 |title=Red Sox Win World's Title |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-red-sox-win-worl/164254547/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |page=1 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Following the 1915 season, Tris Speaker was traded to the [[Cleveland Indians]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1916-04-09 |title=Star Outfielder Of Red Sox Sells For Record Price |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-star-outfielder/164254618/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |page=15 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |agency=United Press}}</ref> The [[1916 Boston Red Sox season|Red Sox]] went on to win the [[1916 World Series]], defeating the [[Brooklyn Robins]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sanborn |first=I.E. |date=1916-10-13 |title=Shore Leads Red Sox To World Title, 4-1 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-shore-leads-red-sox-to-w/164254734/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Chicago Tribune |page=11 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

[[Harry Frazee]] bought the Red Sox from Joseph Lannin in 1916 for about $675,000.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1916-11-02 |title=Boston American League Club Changes Owners |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/salt-lake-herald-boston-american-league/164254792/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=Salt Lake Herald |page=10 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Connor |first=W. J. |date=1916-11-02 |title=Frazee and Ward, Show Promoters, Purchase Red Sox |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-frazee-and-ward/164254862/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |page=23 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In 1918, Babe Ruth led the team to another [[1918 World Series|World Series]] championship over the [[1918 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1918-09-12 |title=Boston Red Sox Defeated Chicago Cubs And Won World's Baseball Championship Again |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-call-boston-red-sox-defeated/164254933/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Morning Call |page=3 |publication-place=Paterson, New Jersey |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>