As joyful and satisfying as it can be for Red Sox fans to revisit the miracle of the 2004 World Series after two decades, it can be difficult — perhaps impossible — to fully place themselves back into the mindset of that earlier, tortured era.
Standing on the other side of 2004, replete with its legendary run of New England sports championships, it’s tough to travel back to the Before Times, when the Red Sox were defined by drought and heartbreak.
So, amid the 20th anniversary of that magical time, here’s a look back at how sportswriters — locally and nationally — covered the first Red Sox World Series win in 86 years.