USA Today Sports Weekly

Review of Red Sox Vs Yankees: The Great Rivalry

As the Yankees and Red Sox gear up for more head-to-head battles this summer, zealots on both sides of the rivalry are well-served in this newest tribute to baseball's fiercest feud. The Frommers cover the hostilities from every angle imaginable, giving readers just about all they'll need to know as they settle in for upcoming bouts in 2004.

The fun begins with a timeline of the major events that have enlivened the century-long competition, then turns to a comprehensive review of last season's epic playoff series. After a look at the roller-coaster ride of the storied 1978 AL East pennant race, the book follows with chapters on the rivalry's origins, the clashing cultures of the cites, a comparison between the hometown ballparks and capsule summaries of the most significant games. There's even  an entire segment devoted to the various virtues of Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio and their roles in the ongoing antagonism.

Capping off the retrospectives is an open forum from both New York and Boston advocates. Politicians, sportswriters, entertainers, ordinary fans and the players themselves offer barbed, even witty viewpoints, about the rivalry. Their caustic comments should provide more than enough combustion to fire up the Yankee and Sox faithful for this year's remaining games. - - David Plaut 

#   #   #