David Ortiz becoming a clutch legend needs a deep rewind

Game 4 of the 2004 Red Sox-Yankees ALCS was a turning point for a rivalry, and the beginning of a whole new story.

The miraculous 2004 Boston Red Sox run had to start somewhere, and that somewhere was an absolute pit: Down 3-0 against a despised rival, down to their very last chances in a potential elimination game, with the clock ticking well past midnight.

For moments and memes like “The Steal” and “The Single” and “don’t let us win tonight” and everything after to become the stuff of legend, David Ortiz had to finish the job in Game 4. Before we watch him do that, we should revisit the stakes of this moment: Where Ortiz came from, and how totally written-off the Red Sox were before Big Papi’s opportunity to rescue them from the brink.

Let’s visit the end of the beginning. Let’s rewind!