Listen to ‘The Curse Breakers,’ a podcast reliving the magical run of the 2004 Red Sox

The epic story of it all is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other streaming platforms.

For nearly a century, the Red Sox were defined by futility and near misses.

From crushing losses in the 1940s to the heartbreak of 1975, from Bucky Dent in 1978 to the infamous “Buckner Game” in 1986 and Aaron Boone’s blast in 2003, Boston fans knew what it meant to lose painfully. All of it was blamed on the “Curse of the Bambino,” a hex said to have haunted the team ever since they traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1920. Their archrivals flourished while the Sox struggled to escape the curse’s grip.

But 20 years ago, everything changed.

The Boston Globe is proud to introduce “The Curse Breakers,” a special podcast miniseries that revisits the 2004 Red Sox, a team of misfits and underdogs known as the “Idiots” — who defied the odds to break the curse that had loomed over Fenway Park for 86 years.

With insights from key players, coaches, die-hard fans, and Globe journalists, “The Curse Breakers” takes you behind the scenes of one of the greatest sports stories ever told.

Part 1 chronicles the history of the Red Sox, from the start of the ball club and the trade of Ruth through the decades of painful losses leading up to 2004. The episode dives into the Sox’s most agonizing moments, setting the stage for the team’s epic comeback.

Part 2 follows the 2004 Red Sox from spring training to an unforgettable finish. The drama peaks in the American League Championship Series, when the Sox mounted an impossible comeback against the archrival Yankees in one of the greatest playoff battles in history. From heartbreak to hope, the Red Sox finally win the World Series.

Listen to Part 1:

Listen to Part 2:

To hear The Curse Breakers on your favorite podcasting app, follow The Globe wherever you get your podcasts.

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