y*nkee fans always like to bring this up: The Red Sox have never beaten the y*nks in a close (within 5 games) pennant race, where the two teams finished in first and second place.

('86 was the closest race where the Sox finished 1st and the y*nks 2nd, with the Sox winning by 5.5 games. The y*nks were 3.5 back when the Sox won in '88, but didn't finish second, so that doesn't count in this ridiculous, made-up, y*nkee-biased category.)

By saying this, they're IGNORING the fact that every time Red Sox have won the league/division, with the y*nks coming in second, it's never even been close.

So let's take a look at just how badly we've beaten the y*nkees through the years, to shoot this idea to hell, and, just to make us feel good inside. Here are the years the Sox have finished 1st, followed by how far behind the y*nks finished:

1995: 7 games back
1916: 11 games back
1975: 12 games back
1918: 13.5 games back
1903 & 1946: 17 games back
1967: 20 games back!
1990: 21 games back (that's right, y*nkee fans, your team was 21 back of the Red Sox in YOUR lifetime. whoooaaaaa.)
1915: 32.5 games back!!!!
and
1912: The Red Sox finished FIFTY-FIVE (55) games ahead of the New York y*nkees (then highlanders).

So what they're saying is basically, "Sure, the Sox finished 55 games ahead of us, and won the World Series, but come on, had we won FIFTY more games that year, surely we'd have won. The Sox just can't beat us in a close race. It's a simple fact."

So the next time some y*nkee fan tries to tell you the Sox just can't beat the y*nks in a close race, just say, "Yeah, well we've cornered the market on finishing 55 games ahead of you..."