What If “The Dive” Never Happened?

Storyline: Great plays are often “great” because they change the course of history. Sometimes they don’t. 

Let’s go back 13 years to July 1, 2004.

Courtesy: bronx.news12.com

The Boston Red Sox are taking on their rivals, The New York Yankees. The venue is Yankee Stadium.

The hitter is Trot Nixon. The pitcher is Tanyon Sturtze. There are runners on second and third with 2 outs. The game is tied, 5-5.

Derek Jeter makes a diving catch and, then, catapults into the stands. To relive the play go here.

Now, let’s go back three years in time. Derek Jeter made a play in the 2001 ALCS against the Oakland Athletics. It was a difficult catch, a clutch catch. And many think that play, called “The Flip,” was a more difficult catch. Watch it here.

What made the 2004 catch special? Was it because it was made against the Red Sox? Was it because the Yankees were 7.5 games ahead of the Red Sox in that year’s playoff race?

Courtesy: Fr. Peter Preble

But let’s say Jeter never made that amazing catch in ’04. I say it wouldn’t have made a difference.

The Red Sox finished 3 games behind the Yankees that year. The Sox made the playoffs. Boston came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in the ALCS. That series victory sent Boston to the World Series, where the Sox swept the Saint Louis Cardinals.

“The Curse” was broken.

Great plays are often “great” because they change the course of history. But sometimes they don’t. History wouldn’t have been changed had “The Dive” never happened.