Leigh Montville

Joy knows no bounds after Red Sox’ World Series win

The Boston Red Sox gave me strength with their World Series victory.

The Red Sox erupted from the visitors' dugout after clinching their first World Series title in 86 years.

The Boston Globe

The Red Sox erupted from the visitors' dugout after clinching their first World Series title in 86 years.

Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling and David Ortiz (left to right) revel in the jubilation after sweeping the Cardinals.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling and David Ortiz (left to right) revel in the jubilation after sweeping the Cardinals.

Dave Roberts (left) and Mike Timlin celebrate after helping to end the fabled Curse of the Bambino.

Jim Davis/Globe Staff

Dave Roberts (left) and Mike Timlin celebrate after helping to end the fabled Curse of the Bambino.

Manager Terry Francona and GM Theo Epstein soak in the atmosphere after leading the Red Sox to the first title since 1918.

Jim Davis/Globe Staff

Manager Terry Francona, left, and GM Theo Epstein soak in the atmosphere after leading the Red Sox to the first title since 1918.

The Red Sox celebrated after winning eight straight games to close out one of the most remarkable playoff runs in baseball history.

Jim Davis/Globe Staff

The Red Sox celebrated after winning eight straight games to close out one of the most remarkable playoff runs in baseball history.

Fans turned out in droves for the Red Sox’ World Series parade.

George Rizer/Globe Staff

Bud Collins

Misery won’t have company of Red Sox fans anymore

The Curse is genuinely dead, with a sharpened Louisville Slugger piercing its heart.

David Ortiz, left, and Manny Ramirez became a most powerful 1-2 punch in the Red Sox’ championship lineup.

Bob Ryan

Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz were deadly duo

They are the Red Sox’ answer to Scylla and Charybdis, the twin monsters who terrorize opposing pitchers by guarding the heart of the Red Sox’ order.

Terry Francona, in his first year as Red Sox manager, led the team to overcome a three-game playoff deficit to the Yankees and then on to a World Series title.

Dan Shaughnessy

Terry Francona, the nice guy who finished first

He is a baseball lifer. Young Terry grew up in major league clubhouses, and eventually played in the league, like his dad. Now he’s an icon.

Joe Torre, left, and the Yankees became the first baseball team to lose a playoff series in which they led by three games.

Yankees’ Evil Empire fell in a most improbable manner

Nobody expected the Evil Empire to topple this way. Not with four straight defeats. Not with the history on their side.

Curt Schilling, center, with Pedro Martinez, left, and David Ortiz, helped the Red Sox win a World Series less than a year after arriving in a trade from Arizona.

Curt Schilling delivered what he promised -- a championship

Nobody acted the part of a champion better than Schilling this year.

Keith Foulke became a folk hero in Red Sox’ run

It’s unlikely the closer will have to pick up a check in Boston for quite some time.

10 best moments en route to Red Sox’ World Series

Re-live the most memorable points from the Red Sox’ historic season.

Opinion

“Terry Francona did something Jimy Williams, Joe Morgan, Joe Cronin, and Joe McCarthy never did. And he was humble about it when it was over.”

Dan Shaughnessy 

More 2004 Red Sox

This grand slam by Johnny Damon in Game 7 of the ALCS helped the Red Sox bury the Yankees.

Red Sox happy to be ‘idiots’ en route to championship

Forget all that Cowboy Up stuff. So passe for this more cerebral group that ran all the way to a title.

More 2004 Red Sox

Bob Ryan

Dave Roberts’ steal off Mariano Rivera in Game 4 of the ALCS helped propel the Red Sox into their historic comeback.

Big plays helped turned Red Sox’ season into a special one

Some of the great memories of the Red Sox’ wild ‘n crazy October ride involved situations that were not climactic.

Game by game

World Series Game 4

Dave Roberts shows off the hardware after the Red Sox completed a sweep of the Cardinals to earn their first World Series title in 86 years.

Red Sox win World Series for first time in 86 years

Hail the lovable idiots. Bless the baseball gods. The Red Sox are champions of the world.