History

The Cardinals and Red Sox will meet in the World Series for the fourth time. Here is a look back at their previous meetings.

1946 (Cardinals 4, Red Sox 3)

Appearing in their first World Series since 1918, the Red Sox won the opening game 3-2 when Rudy York hit a 10th inning home run. York also homered in Game 3 as Boston won three of the first five games. Needing to win the last two games, the Cardinals tied the series at 3-3 by taking Game 6, then won the decider when outfielder Enos Slaughter ran home from first base to score the winner in the bottom of the eighth in a play that became known as the Mad Dash.

1967 (Cardinals 4, Red Sox 3)

The Cardinals were appearing in the World Series for the second time in four seasons after winning the title in 1964 while the Red Sox were back in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1946. The Cardinals, led by future Hall of Famers Orlando Cepeda and Bob Gibson, won three of the first four games before Boston's "Impossible Dream" team fought back to win the next two and force a Game 7. The Cards won the decider 7-2 with Gibson pitching his third complete game of the series and also blasting a home run.

2004 (Red Sox 4, Cardinals 0)

The Red Sox had gone 86 years since claiming their last World Series and their hopes of ending the drought seemed a lost cause when they trailed the New York Yankees 3-0 in the American League Championship Series. But against all odds they came back to beat the Yankees 4-3 and join the Cardinals in the Fall Classic. Unlike their two previous meetings, the Red Sox dominated from the outset, winning the first two games at Fenway Park and completing a sweep by winning both games on the road to end the so-called "Curse of the Bambino".

(China Daily 10/23/2013 page23)