The1975 Boston Red Sox season was the 75th season in the franchise'sMajor League Baseball history. TheRed Sox finished first in theAmerican League East with a record of 95–65. Following a sweep of theOakland Athletics in theALCS, the Red Sox lost theWorld Series to theCincinnati Reds in seven games.

The1975 baseball season should have dawned for Red Sox fans with bright hopes. The team had made a legitimate run for the pennant the previous year, and this time the team hadCarlton Fisk andRick Wise for full seasons.Rick Burleson had surprised everyone by playing outstanding shortstop and hitting higher in the majors than he ever had in the minors. In addition, the Sox had two rookies who gave every indication they would be phenoms,Fred Lynn andJim Rice. But the memory of thecollapse of 1974 still hung heavy overNew England fans.^{[citation needed]}

At first most of the preseason talk had to do with the decision byTony Conigliaro to try one more comeback and with the salary hassle concerningLuis Tiant, who felt he deserved more than $70,000 he was earning and wouldn't show up atWinter Haven, Florida, causing team ownerTom Yawkey to meet with "El Tiante", agree on a raise (to $90,000) and get the Sox pitching ace back in camp.^{[citation needed]}

Still, it didn't take too long before the stories and pictures coming out of Florida about the two phenoms got Sox fans thinking. The betting lines inLas Vegas had Boston as a long shot, although not the 100–1 shot they were in1967. The odds against them went up, however, after Fisk, returning from the serious knee injury of 1974, was hit in the right arm and broke it. Even the positive talk about young Mr. Lynn couldn't drive away the gloom over Fisk's injury. Catching is absolutely vital to a successful team, and Fisk was going to be sidelined for at least a couple of months.^{[citation needed]}

The word out of Florida on Lynn was very positive. The young man who had gone to theUSC as a football linebacker, but gave up football for baseball, seemed to be doing it all. Not only did he hit and run and field, he was a good-looking, charming young man. He was a hit withBoston and New England fans and hit with power, and with the way big Jim Rice was clobbering the baseball, Boston appeared to have a power punch that could only get better when Fisk got back into the lineup.^{[citation needed]}

Rick Wise, back after a year of shoulder trouble and then a broken finger, looked ready to boost a pitching staff, which already had Luis Tiant,Bill Lee,Reggie Cleveland, and the stringbean flame-throwerRoger Moret. The bullpen also looked strong, withDick Drago as the closer and hard-throwerDick Pole and veteranDiego Seguí.^{[citation needed]}

Additionally, the word onTony Conigliaro was encouraging, and that boosted spirits back home.Carl Yastrzemski was at first base, and after three short trials in previous yearsCecil Cooper was going to make this team and probably be thedesignated hitter.^{[citation needed]}

• October 24, 1974:Juan Marichal was released by the Red Sox.^[1]
• March 29, 1975:Danny Cater was traded by the Red Sox to theSt. Louis Cardinals forDanny Godby.^[2]

The Red Sox played only 160 games, as two games against the Yankees were rained out in the final week of the season, and not rescheduled once Boston clinched the AL East title.^[10][11]

• June 3:Dave Schmidt was selected by the Red Sox in the 2nd round of the1975 Major League Baseball draft^[12]
• June 14: The Red Sox traded a player to be named later and cash to theCalifornia Angels forDenny Doyle. The Red Sox completed the deal by sending Chuck Ross (minors) to the Angels on March 5, 1976.^[13]

Source:^[14]

Boston'sOpening Day opponent was theMilwaukee Brewers, then a member of the AL East; the game was notable for being the first game thatHank Aaron played in the American League, having previously played from 1954 through 1974 in the National League.^[15]

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

After a great season, The Red Sox continued their magical season by sweeping the Oakland Athletics in three games in the American League Championship Series to advance to their first World Series since1967.

In the historic World Series that followed, it came down to Carl Yastrzemski with the Red Sox trailing, 4–3, with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 7. Yaz's drive fell into the hands of Reds outfielderCésar Gerónimo, and Boston's magical season fell one game short. Boston would not return to the World Series until1986.

October 4 atFenway Park

October 5 atFenway Park

The Red Sox scored first in six of the seven World Series games, only to see the Reds come back and win four of those games, spoiling Boston's chances at their first championship since1918. In Game 7, the Red Sox entered the sixth inning with a 3–0 lead, but the Reds rallied back to win the game, 4–3, and the series.

• Darrell Johnson – Associated Press AL Manager of the Year
• Fred Lynn –American League MVP,American League Rookie of the Year,Associated Press Athlete of the Year,Gold Glove Award (OF),AL Player of the Month (June)
• Luis Tiant –Babe Ruth Award

All-Star Game

• Fred Lynn, reserve OF
• Carl Yastrzemski, reserve 1B

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Bristol
Source:^[16][17]

• 1975 Boston Red Sox team page at Baseball Reference
• 1975 Boston Red Sox season at baseball-almanac.com
• 1975 ALCS Official Scorebook Magazine
• 1975 World Series Media Guide and Scorebook

• Boston Red Sox seasons
• 1975 Major League Baseball season
• American League East champion seasons
• American League champion seasons
• 1975 in sports in Massachusetts
• 1975 in Boston

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