October 19, 2004, Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.

The Boston Red Sox found themselves on the brink of elimination, trailing the series 2-3. The previous day's grueling 14-inning battle had left them without a clear choice for a starting pitcher. Manager Terry Francona, after much deliberation, made a bold decision to put their ace, Curt Schilling, on the mound despite his injury.

On this day, Curt Schilling delivered the greatest performance of his baseball career, etching his name in Major League Baseball history with a game for the ages.

Late in the season, Curt Schilling had suffered an ankle injury that rendered him virtually unable to pitch effectively. Despite being the team's ace with 21 wins and an ERA in the 3s, his injury had caused him to give up six runs in just three innings during his first start of the series, leading to a loss.
 

Facing certain elimination, the Boston Red Sox were in dire straits. Determined to save his team, Curt Schilling took extraordinary measures.

He had the tendon in his painful ankle stitched to the skin to stabilize it.

At the age of 38, this risky procedure was potentially career-ending for Curt Schilling, but determined to save his team, he underwent the surgery the day before the game and took the mound as the starting pitcher in Game 6.

The game ended with a 4-2 victory for the Boston Red Sox.
The hero of the victory was Curt Schilling, who allowed only 4 hits and 1 run over 7 innings, thoroughly shutting down the powerful New York Yankees lineup.

At the time, Curt Schilling's surgery was conducted in secret, so no one knew about it. However, his blood-stained sock (Bloody Sock) was captured by the broadcast cameras, revealing his fighting spirit to the fans and fellow players. This significantly boosted the morale of both the fans and the team.

※ 당시 중계화면에 잡힌 커트 실링의 Bloody sock. 당시 루게릭(공식 병명 ALS) 홍보대사였던 커트 실링이 신발에 K ALS(루게릭을 삼진 시키겠다) 를 새기고 나와 크게 화제가 되기도 했다.(출처 : MLB youtube)

“Curt Schilling's performance tonight will long live in New England baseball lore.”
- Comment by the caster as Schilling left the mound during the game

Afterward, the Boston Red Sox went on to win seven consecutive games, achieving a 'Reverse Sweep*' unprecedented in American sports history. They also swept the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 in the World Series, winning the championship for the first time in 86 years. This historic moment broke the 'Curse of the Bambino**' left since Babe Ruth's departure in 1919.