2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2004 season. The 100th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Boston Red Sox and the National League (NL) champion St. Louis Cardinals; the Red Sox swept the Cardinals in four games. The series was played from October 23 to 27, 2004, at Fenway Park and Busch Memorial Stadium, broadcast on Fox, and watched by an average of just under 25.5 million viewers. The Red Sox's World Series championship was their first since 1918, ending the Curse of the Bambino.


2004 World Series
The Cardinals earned their berth into the playoffs by winning the NL Central division title, and had the best win–loss record in the NL. The Red Sox won the AL wild card to earn theirs. The Cardinals reached the World Series by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-five NL Division Series and the Houston Astros in the best-of-seven NL Championship Series. The Red Sox defeated the Anaheim Angels in the AL Division Series.


2004 World Series
After trailing three games to none to the New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series, the Red Sox came back to win the series, advancing to their first World Series since 1986. The Cardinals made their first appearance in the World Series since 1987. With the New England Patriots winning Super Bowl XXXVIII, the World Series victory made Boston the first city to have Super Bowl and World Series championship teams in the same year (2004) since Pittsburgh in 1979. The Red Sox became the third straight wild card team to win the World Series; the Anaheim Angels won in 2002 and the Florida Marlins won in 2003.


2004 World Series
The Red Sox had home-field advantage in the World Series by nature of the AL winning the 2004 All-Star Game. In game one, Mark Bellhorn helped the Red Sox win with a home run, while starter Curt Schilling led the team to a game two victory by pitching six innings and allowing just one run. The Red Sox won the first two games despite committing four errors in each. The Red Sox won game three, aided by seven shutout innings by Pedro Martínez.


2004 World Series
A home run by Johnny Damon in the first inning helped to win game four for the Red Sox to secure the series. The Cardinals did not lead in any of the games in the series. Manny Ramírez was named the series' Most Valuable Player. The Red Sox and Cardinals faced each other again in the 2013 World Series, which the Red Sox also won, this time 4 games to 2.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox had lost in the previous season's ALCS against the New York Yankees. The loss was mainly blamed on the decision by then-manager Grady Little to keep starting pitcher Pedro Martínez in the game in the 8th inning of Game 7, that resulted the win (and the 2003 American League championship in general) to rival New York via a walk-off home run, then Little was fired two weeks later.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, Boston Red Sox
During the off-season, the Red Sox hired Terry Francona as their new manager. They also signed Keith Foulke as their closer and traded for Curt Schilling as a starting pitcher. The Red Sox played two particularly notable games against the Yankees during the regular season. A game on July 1, in which they came back from a 3-run deficit to force extra innings, is best remembered for an incident in the 12th inning, when Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter made a catch on the run before hurling himself head-first into the stands.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, Boston Red Sox
The Yankees won the game in the next inning to take an 8-game lead in the American League East. In the 3rd inning of a game on July 24, Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo hit Yankees batter Alex Rodriguez with one of his pitches. As Rodriguez walked towards first base, he began shouting profanities at Arroyo. Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek positioned himself between the two players. After a brief argument, Varitek pushed his glove into Rodriguez' face, causing a bench-clearing brawl.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox eventually won the game thanks to a home run by Bill Mueller in the 9th inning. On July 31, the Red Sox traded shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs after he had spent eight years with the team. They acquired shortstop Orlando Cabrera and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz in this trade. They won the wild card to earn a place in the post-season for the second year in a row.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, Boston Red Sox
In the divisional round of the playoffs, the Red Sox faced the Anaheim Angels in a best-of-five series. They won Game 1 largely thanks to a 7-run 4th inning, and went on to sweep the series. In the 7th inning of Game 3, with the Red Sox leading by 4, Vladimir Guerrero tied the game for the Angels with a grand slam. However, David Ortiz won the series with a game winning home run in the 10th.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, Boston Red Sox
In the American League Championship Series, the Red Sox lost the first three games against the New York Yankees, including a 19-8 drubbing in Game 3, and were trailing 4-3 in Game 4 when they began the 9th inning. Kevin Millar was walked by Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. Dave Roberts then came into the game to pinch run for Millar and stole second base. Mueller then singled to enable him to tie the game. Another game winning home run by Ortiz won the game 6-4 for the Red Sox in the 12th inning.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, Boston Red Sox
Ortiz' single in the 14th inning of Game 5 scored the winning run for the Red Sox, in what was, then, the longest post-season game in baseball history. Despite having a dislocated ankle tendon, Schilling started Game 6 for the Red Sox. He pitched for seven innings, and allowed just one run, during which time his sock became soaked in blood. In the eighth inning, Yankees third baseman Rodriguez slapped a ball out of pitcher Arroyo's hand, allowing the Yankees to score a run. However, after a discussion the umpires called Rodriguez out for interference and canceled the run.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, Boston Red Sox
Fans then threw debris onto the field in protest and the game was stopped for ten minutes. The Red Sox won the game 4-2 and became the first baseball team to ever force a Game 7 after having been down 3 games to none. A 10–3 win in Game 7 brought the Red Sox to the World Series for the first time in 18 years.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, St. Louis Cardinals
Having failed to make the playoffs the season before, and with their division rivals (the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros) expected to be strong, the Cardinals were generally expected to finish 3rd in the National League Central. However, strong offensive seasons from Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, and Jim Edmonds—during which they each hit more than 30 home runs and 100 runs batted in (RBI)—helped them to lead the league in runs scored. They also allowed the fewest runs of any team in the league. Four of their starters recorded at least 15 wins and closer Jason Isringhausen recorded a league-best 47 saves. They added outfielder Larry Walker in August and finished the regular season with the best win–loss record in the league.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the divisional round of the playoffs. Five home runs in Game 1 and no runs allowed by the bullpen in Game 2 helped the Cardinals to win the first two games. A complete game by Dodgers pitcher José Lima enabled the Dodgers to force a Game 4, during which a home run by Pujols won the series for the Cardinals. In the National League Championship Series, the Cardinals faced the Astros and won the first two games in St. Louis.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, St. Louis Cardinals
However, the Astros tied the series in the next two games in Houston, before a combined one-hitter by Astros pitchers Brandon Backe and Brad Lidge gave them the series lead. An RBI single by Jeff Bagwell in the 9th inning of Game 6 tied the game and forced extra innings. In the 12th, Edmonds won the game for the Cardinals with a walk-off home run.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, St. Louis Cardinals
Trailing in the sixth inning of Game 7, a game-tying RBI double by Albert Pujols followed by a Scott Rolen two-run home run and then an RBI single by Larry Walker in the 8th inning helped the Cardinals to a 5–2 win and their first World Series berth in 17 years.


2004 World Series, Route to the series, St. Louis Cardinals
By reaching the World Series with the Cardinals, Tony La Russa became the sixth manager to win pennants in both leagues. This was after La Russa had managed the Oakland Athletics to three straight pennants between 1988 and 1990 and winning the 1989 World Series. He would attempt to join Sparky Anderson as the only men to have managed teams to World Series championships in both leagues. He wore #10 in tribute to Anderson (who wore 10 while manager of the Cincinnati Reds) and to indicate he was trying to win the team's 10th championship.


2004 World Series, Series build up
The series was heavily discussed and analyzed by the American media prior to it beginning. The Star-News of Wilmington, North Carolina, compared the Red Sox and Cardinals position by position and concluded that the Cardinals were stronger in eight positions, the Red Sox in four and both teams even in one. They predicted that the Cardinals would win the series in seven games.


2004 World Series, Series build up
Andrew Haskett of E-Sports.com gave high praise to the two teams' starting pitchers but also said that the Cardinals "took a serious blow" when Chris Carpenter was forced out of the series due to an injury to his arm. He also pointed out the ability of both teams to hit home runs, especially in the case of the Red Sox's David Ortiz and the Cardinals' Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds. While he praised the Red Sox defense, he called the Cardinals "one of the best defensive teams to ever walk onto a baseball field". Ultimately he concluded that the series would be close and that the Red Sox would win it.


2004 World Series, Series build up
John Donovan of Sports Illustrated praised both teams for how unexpected their reaching the World Series was, saying that they were "not supposed to be here". He also called the series a "blast from the past" because both teams were very old franchises and had twice previously met in the World Series. In a breakdown of how the two teams matched up, he concluded that the edge was with the Red Sox in pitching and the Cardinals in defense and batting.


2004 World Series, Series build up
Ultimately he concluded that Schilling and Martinez would be the "key to [the] Series" and that the Red Sox would win in six games. Jim Molony of MLB.com, said he expected the series to play out very differently from the last time the two teams met in the World Series in 1967. This was because both team offenses had been some of the best in the league during the season, while pitching had been very dominant in 1967.


2004 World Series, Series build up
Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe said that "Bally's in Las Vegas set the Red Sox as 8–5 favorites to win the Series" and that there was "some sentiment in St. Louis that the NL champions have been disrespected". but also that Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein "Did not want to dis[respect] the Cardinals". Shaughnessy also quoted Schilling as having said: "There's a lot of good players in that [visitors] clubhouse over there. This isn't the time for us to be thinking about history.


2004 World Series, Series build up
If we get three wins and 26 outs into the fourth win, I'm pretty sure it will hit us." Before the series began, Shaughnessy wrote a piece saying that although the Red Sox had beaten the Yankees, the series needed to be won, as it was the only way the Curse of the Bambino, which he had publicized based on the book of the same title in 1990, would end, and demeaning chants of "1918!" would no longer echo at Yankee Stadium. During the series, he wrote a piece about how much people in New England were thinking about loved ones who had spent their entire lives rooting for the Red Sox, hoping that one day, they would see their Red Sox win a World Series.


2004 World Series, Series build up
Both teams had lost in their previous World Series appearances in seven games. The Red Sox lost to the New York Mets in 1986, while the Cardinals lost in 1987 to the Minnesota Twins. The Cardinals and Red Sox had not won the World Series since 1982 and 1918 respectively. When the two teams had previously played each other in the 1946 and 1967 World Series, the Cardinals won both series in seven games. Having won the All-Star Game, the AL had been awarded home-field advantage, which meant the Red Sox had the advantage at Fenway Park in four of the seven games in the series.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
Local band Dropkick Murphys performed "Tessie", and a moment of silence was observed to remember local student Victoria Snelgrove, who had been accidentally killed by police two days earlier as Sox fans had celebrated winning the American League pennant. Steven Tyler, the lead singer of Aerosmith, another local band, performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" and Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski threw the ceremonial first pitch.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
Down the right field line, into the corner it is fair! And a three-run home run, Ortiz has done it again!


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
Joe Buck of Fox Sports, calling the fifth home run of the postseason by David Ortiz in Game 1.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
Tim Wakefield made his first start of the 2004 postseason for the Red Sox, becoming the first knuckleball pitcher to make a World Series start since 1948, while Woody Williams, who had won his previous two starts in the post-season, was the Cardinals' starting pitcher. In the bottom of the first inning, Williams gave up a lead-off double to Johnny Damon, and then hit Orlando Cabrera in the shoulder with one of his pitches. After Manny Ramírez flied out, Ortiz hit a three-run home run in his first-ever World Series at bat. Kevin Millar then scored by virtue of a single by Bill Mueller to put the Red Sox up 4–0.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
The Cardinals scored one run in both the second and third innings on a sacrifice fly by Mike Matheny to score Jim Edmonds and a home run to right field by Walker, respectively. However, in the bottom of the third, the Red Sox scored three runs after seven consecutive batters reached base, giving them a five-run lead. Dan Haren came in from the Cardinals' bullpen to replace Williams during the inning.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
In the top of the fourth inning, Bronson Arroyo was brought in to replace Wakefield after he had walked four batters. Those walks, combined with a throwing error by Millar and a passed ball by Doug Mirabelli, allowed the Cardinals to reduce the lead to two runs. In the sixth inning, So Taguchi reached first on an infield hit and was allowed to advance to second when Arroyo threw the ball into the stands. Doubles by Édgar Rentería and Walker tied the game at seven.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Ramírez singled with two men on base, and a poor throw by Edmonds allowed Mark Bellhorn to score. Ortiz then hit a line drive that appeared to skip off the lip of the infield and hit Cardinals' second baseman Tony Womack with "considerable force". Womack immediately grabbed his clavicle as a second Red Sox run scored. He was attended to once play had ended and replaced by Marlon Anderson. A precautionary X-ray revealed that there was no damage.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
In the top of the eighth inning, with one out and two men on base, Red Sox closer Keith Foulke came in to pitch. Rentería singled towards Ramírez in left field, who unintentionally kicked the ball away, allowing Jason Marquis to score. Walker also hit the ball towards Ramírez in the next at bat. Ramírez slid in an attempt to try to catch the ball, but tripped and deflected the ball for his second error in two plays, and the fourth Red Sox error in the game. Roger Cedeño scored on the play to tie the game at nine.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
In the bottom of the eighth inning, however, Jason Varitek reached on an error, and Bellhorn then hit a home run off the right field foul pole, also known as Pesky's Pole, for his third home run in as many games to give the Red Sox a two-run lead. In the ninth inning, Foulke struck out Cedeño to win the game for the Red Sox 11–9.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 1
With a total of 20 runs, it was the highest scoring opening game of a World Series ever. With four RBI, Ortiz also tied a franchise record for RBI in a World Series game. Walker, making his World Series debut in Game 1, collected four hits in five at bats with a home run and two doubles. His four-hit outing tied a Cardinals World Series record, becoming the seventh overall and first to do so since Lou Brock in 1967, also against Boston.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 2
Boston native James Taylor performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Game 2 and singer Donna Summer, also a Boston native, performed "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch. The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by the surviving three members of the famous Red Sox quartet that had faced the Cardinals in 1946: Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio and Johnny Pesky (Ted Williams had died two years earlier).


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 2
Despite having a torn tendon in his right ankle, similar to Game 6 of the ALCS against the Yankees, Schilling started Game 2 for the Red Sox. Schilling had four stitches in the ankle the day before, causing him "considerable discomfort". He was not sure on the morning of Game 2 if he would be able to play, but after one of the stitches was removed, he was treated with antibiotics and was able to pitch. Morris started for the Cardinals on three days' rest (one day fewer than is orthodox rest for a starting pitcher).


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 2
In the first inning, Albert Pujols doubled with two out, and Scott Rolen hit a line drive towards Mueller, who caught it to end the inning. Morris walked Ramírez and Ortiz in the bottom of the inning. Varitek then tripled to center field to give the Red Sox a 2–0 lead.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 2
In the fourth inning, Pujols doubled again and was able to score on an error by Mueller. The Red Sox also scored in the bottom of the inning when Bellhorn doubled to center with two runners on base, to give them a three-run lead. Cal Eldred came in to relieve Morris in the fifth inning, after he had walked the leadoff hitter, having already given up four runs in the previous four innings. Mueller committed his World Series record-tying third error of the game, in the sixth inning; however, the Cardinals failed to capitalize. In the bottom of the inning, Trot Nixon led off with a single to center, and two more singles by Johnny Damon and Orlando Cabrera enabled two more runs to score to make it 6–1.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 2
After six innings of allowing no earned runs – which gave him a total of 13 innings against the Yankees and Cardinals with only one earned run allowed on a torn ankle tendon – Schilling made way for Alan Embree, who pitched a scoreless seventh. Mike Timlin replaced Embree in the eighth, in which a sacrifice fly by Scott Rolen reduced the Red Sox lead to four. Keith Foulke then came in to strike out Jim Edmonds to end the inning and also pitched the ninth to end the game. For the second game in a row, the Red Sox won despite committing four fielding errors.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 2
With the win, Schilling became only the fifth pitcher to ever win a World Series game with a team from both leagues, having previously done it with National League teams, the Philadelphia Phillies in 1993, and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. He later donated the bloody sock he wore during the game to the Baseball Hall of Fame museum. Much of the blame for the Cardinals' losses in the first two games was directed at the fact that Rolen, Edmonds and Reggie Sanders, three of the Cardinals' best batters, had combined for one hit in 22 at-bats.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 3
Seattle Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martínez was presented with the 2004 Roberto Clemente Award, having announced his retirement one month before. The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by arguably the Cardinals' best-ever position player, Stan Musial, and caught by arguably their best-ever pitcher, Bob Gibson. "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" were sung by country music singer Martina McBride and singer–songwriter Amy Grant respectively.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 3
During the game, a sign for the fast-food restaurant Taco Bell that measured 12 by 12 feet (3.7 m × 3.7 m) and read "Free Taco Here", was hung approximately 420 feet (130 m) from home plate, over the left-center field bullpen. Taco Bell promised that, if the sign was hit by a home run ball, they would give a free "Crunchy Beef Taco" to everyone in the United States.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 3
Once again, the Red Sox took the lead in the first inning when Ramírez hit a home run off former Red Sox pitcher Jeff Suppan. Pedro Martínez was the starting pitcher for the Red Sox, and in the bottom of the first inning, he allowed the Cardinals to load the bases with one out. Edmonds then hit a fly ball towards Ramírez in left field, who caught it on the run and threw to catcher Jason Varitek at home plate. Varitek tagged out Walker, who was attempting to score from third, ending the inning.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 3
In the bottom of the third inning, the Cardinals had two runners on base with no one out. Walker hit a ground ball towards first base, and Cardinals third base coach José Oquendo signalled to Suppan on third to run to home plate. However, halfway towards home, Suppan "suddenly stopped". Édgar Rentería, who had been running from second base towards third, was forced to return to second when he saw Suppan had stopped. After stepping on first base, David Ortiz began moving toward Suppan, who had turned back toward third, Ortiz threw to third baseman Mueller, who tagged Suppan out. After the next batter, Albert Pujols, grounded to Mueller, the inning ended.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 3
Trot Nixon extended the Red Sox lead to two in the top of the fourth, hitting a single to right field that scored Mueller, who had started the rally with a two-out double to left-center. Johnny Damon then led off the Red Sox's fifth inning with a double to right. Singles by Orlando Cabrera and Ramírez, to right and left respectively, scored Damon to make it 3–0. With two out, Mueller singled along the first base line, enabling Cabrera to score the Red Sox's fourth run. Suppan was replaced by Al Reyes, which meant none of the Cardinals three starting pitchers had finished five innings during the series.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 3
Mike Timlin relieved Martinez in the bottom of the eighth inning. He finished with six strikeouts, three hits allowed and retired the last 14 batters he faced. The Cardinals avoided a shutout when Walker hit a home run to center field off Foulke in the ninth inning, but Foulke retired the other three batters he faced in the inning to secure the win for the Red Sox 4–1.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 3
On the same day the Red Sox won Game 3, The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy wrote that, as this win brought the Red Sox on the verge of winning a World Series, he wondered how many people in New England were thinking about loved ones who had spent their entire lives rooting for the Red Sox and hoping that one day, they would see the Red Sox win a World Series.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
Country music singer Gretchen Wilson, a life-long Cardinals fan, performed "The Star-Spangled Banner". Barry Bonds and Manny Ramírez received the Hank Aaron Award for the National and American Leagues, respectively. Former Cardinals players Lou Brock and Red Schoendienst threw out ceremonial first pitches along with Rashima Manning, from the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Clubs of America. A lunar eclipse was visible during the game – the first lunar eclipse to take place during a World Series game. The game was also played on the 18th anniversary of Game 7 of the 1986 World Series, which the Red Sox had lost at Shea Stadium to the New York Mets, despite taking a 3–0 lead into the sixth inning.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
Damon hit a home run to right field in the first at-bat of the game on a 2-1 count to give the Red Sox the lead in the first inning for the fourth straight game; it proved to be the game-winning run. Ramírez singled in the third inning to give him a hit in 17 consecutive postseason games. Doubles to right by David Ortiz and to center by Trot Nixon, who narrowly missed a grand slam after swinging on a 3-0 count, scored two more runs for the Red Sox to give them a three-run lead. Cardinals starter Jason Marquis went six innings and allowed just the three runs. Marquis was the only Cardinal pitcher who went past five innings.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
Back to Foulke, Red Sox fans have longed to hear it: The Boston Red Sox are World Champions!


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
Swing and a ground ball stabbed by Foulke! He has it, he underhands to first – and the Boston Red Sox are the World Champions! For the first time in 86 years, the Red Sox have won baseball's world championship! Can you believe it?


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
Joe Castiglione calling the final play of Game 4 for WEEI in Boston.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
In the top of the eighth, Mueller led off with a single to right and Nixon followed with his third double of the game. Jason Isringhausen came in to pitch for the Cardinals with the bases loaded and nobody out, and was able the finish the inning without allowing a run to score. Kevin Millar pinch hit for the Red Sox starting pitcher Derek Lowe during this inning. It was the third straight game in which the Red Sox starting pitcher had not allowed an earned run.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
Red Sox closer Foulke came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Pujols led off the inning by hitting a single through Foulke's legs and into center field. After Foulke induced Rolen into a fly out and struck out Edmonds, Pujols took second base, but no stolen base due to fielder's indifference. Édgar Rentería then hit a ground ball that bounced back to Foulke on the mound. Foulke threw it underhand to Doug Mientkiewicz at first base to end the game, and the Red Sox drought.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
The series win was the Red Sox's first title in 86 years. They were also the fourth team to win a World Series without trailing in any of the games in the series, and the seventh to win it having previously been three outs away from elimination. With the win, pitcher Lowe became the first pitcher to ever win three series-clinching games in a single postseason having also won Game 3 of the ALDS against the Angels and Game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
Although the series was won in St. Louis, 3,000 Red Sox fans were present at the game, and many stayed after the final out to celebrate with the team, including going on the field when the team came back out of their dugout with the World Series trophy. Ramírez, who was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the series, said afterwards "I don't believe in curses, I believe you make your own destination. [ sic]" Kevin Millar said that it was important to finish off the Cardinals in four and not let it go to a fifth game given the team's history.


2004 World Series, Matchups, Game 4
The Cardinals offense struggled to find spark in the final three games. Pujols, Rolen, and Edmonds, the normally fearsome 3-4-5 hitters for the Cardinals, were six-for-45 with one RBI. The club batted .190 with a .562 OPS overall. Walker was one of very few exceptions, batting .357 with a 1.366 OPS. His two home runs accounted for the only two home runs hit by the entire Cardinals team. In the 2004 postseason, Walker scored 21 percent (14 of 68) of Cardinal runs.


2004 World Series, Composite line score
2004 World Series (4–0): Boston Red Sox (A.L.) beat St. Louis Cardinals (N.L. ).


2004 World Series, Broadcasting
The series was broadcast by Fox, and the announcers were Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Jeanne Zelasko covered the pre-game build up to all four games and the presentation of the World Series trophy. An average of 23.1 million people watched Game 1. This was the highest television ratings for the opening game of a World Series in five years and had the highest average number of viewers since 1996. It was also the highest rated broadcast on any network in the past ten months.


2004 World Series, Broadcasting
The ratings for the first two games were also the highest average since 1996, and the average for the first three games was the highest since 1999. Game 3 had the highest average number of viewers with 24.4 million, since 1996 when 28.7 million watched the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees. It was also the Fox network's highest rating for a Game 3 of a World Series ever. Game 4 posted an 18.2 national rating giving the series an overall average of 15.8. This was the highest average in five years, and the average number of viewers of 25.4 million was the highest since 1995.


2004 World Series, Broadcasting
In terms of local radio, Joe Castiglione and Jerry Trupiano called the series for WEEI in Boston while Mike Shannon and Wayne Hagin announced for KMOX in St. Louis.


2004 World Series, Aftermath
With the win coming eight months after the New England Patriots victory in Super Bowl XXXVIII, the event made Boston the first city to have a Super Bowl and World Series winner in the same year since Pittsburgh in 1979. A number of players from both teams won awards for their performances during the season. Manny Ramírez won the Hank Aaron Award and, along with Albert Pujols, a Silver Slugger Award, while Gold Glove awards were won by Mike Matheny, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds.


2004 World Series, Aftermath
The American sports magazine Sports Illustrated honored the Red Sox with their Sportsman of the Year award a month later, making them the first professional team to ever win the award. For pitcher Curt Schilling, it was the second time he had won the award, having shared it with then-Arizona Diamondbacks teammate Randy Johnson in 2001.


2004 World Series, Aftermath
This World Series win by the Red Sox continued a history of Boston teams beating St. Louis teams to win championships.


2004 World Series, Aftermath
Previously, in Super Bowl XXXVI, the New England Patriots had upset the St. Louis Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" to win their first Super Bowl and herald a dynasty led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Boston Bruins had swept the St. Louis Blues in the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals (with Game 4 being remembered for Bobby Orr's Cup-winning overtime goal that sent him flying), and the Boston Celtics – when Bill Russell was still just a rookie – had beaten the St. Louis Hawks to win their first NBA championship in 1957.


2004 World Series, Aftermath
With championship showdowns between teams from Boston and St. Louis seen in Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA and NHL, it is the only showdown between teams from two specific locations, that has been seen in each of these four leagues. St. Louis would finally end Boston's dominance against them when the St. Louis Blues defeated the Boston Bruins in the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
The Red Sox's win in the World Series ended the "Curse of the Bambino", which supposedly had afflicted the team ever since the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919. Pitcher Derek Lowe and other players said that the team would no longer hear "1918!" at Yankee Stadium ever again. Kevin Millar said to all Red Sox fans: "We wanted to do it so bad for the city of Boston. To win a World Series with this on our chests, it hasn't been done since 1918. So rip up those '1918!' posters right now."


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
Members of previous Red Sox teams who had fallen short immediately acclaimed the 2004 team, including Pesky – who had been the shortstop responsible for a fatal checking error that had allowed the Cardinals' Enos Slaughter to complete his "Mad Dash" to score the winning run in Game 7 at the old Sportsman's Park in 1946. Pesky watched the game from the visiting clubhouse and was immediately embraced by Millar, Wakefield, Schilling and others as a living representative of those previous teams as he joined the celebrations.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
It also added to the recent success of Boston-area teams, following the Patriots wins in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII. With the Patriots having won Super Bowl XXXVIII the previous February, the Red Sox winning the World Series marked the first time since 1979 that the same city had a Super Bowl and World Series winner in the same year – the last city to accomplish the feat had been Pittsburgh, when the Steelers and Pirates had won Super Bowl XIII and the World Series respectively.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
The city would go on to record a decade of sports success from 2001 to 2011 with seven championships in the four major North American sports leagues (MLB, the NFL, the NBA and the NHL), including one in each league after the Patriots won two more Super Bowls, the Celtics won the 2008 NBA championship and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011. Following the Bruins winning the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy ranked all seven championships and chose the Red Sox' 2004 World Series win as the greatest Boston sports championship during the ten-year span.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
Red Sox Manager Terry Francona became the third manager in four years to win a World Series in his first year as manager, following Bob Brenly of the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks and Jack McKeon of the 2003 Florida Marlins.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
Massachusetts US Senator, Boston resident and future Secretary of State John Kerry, who had been named Democratic presidential nominee in Boston that summer, wore a Red Sox cap the day after the series ended. He also said that the Red Sox had "[come] back against all odds and showed America what heart is". His Republican opponent, incumbent President George W. Bush, made a phone call from the White House to congratulate the team's owner John W. Henry, president Larry Lucchino and manager Terry Francona.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
The team also visited Bush at the White House the following March, where he gave a speech honoring their presence, in which he asked "what took [them] so long?" A future Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, at the time Massachusetts Governor, ceremonially helped remove the Reverse Curve road sign on Storrow Drive that had been famously spray-painted to read "Reverse the Curse" as a further marking of the end of the Curse.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
The day after the Red Sox win, the Boston Globe more than doubled its daily press run, from 500,000 to 1.2 million copies, with the headline, "YES!!!" right across the front page.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
The Red Sox held their World Series victory parade on the following Saturday, October 30. The team was transported around on 17 duck boats equipped with loudspeakers so the players could talk to the spectators. Due to large interest in the parade, it was lengthened by officials the day before to include the Charles River, so that fans could watch from the Boston and Cambridge river banks. The parade did not however, include a staged rally.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
The parade began at 10 a.m. local time at Fenway Park, turned east onto Boylston Street, then west onto Tremont Street and Storrow Drive before entering the river. One of the lanes on Massachusetts Avenue had to be closed to accommodate members of the media filming the parade as it passed under the Harvard Bridge. Ramírez was handed a sign by one of the spectators part of the way through the parade, which read, "Jeter is playing golf today. This is better!"


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
He held on to this sign for the rest of the parade, in a similar way to what Tug McGraw said after the Philadelphia Phillies won the 1980 World Series. Over three million people were estimated to have attended the parade, making it the largest gathering ever in the city of Boston.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
The Red Sox were presented with their World Series rings on April 11, 2005, at a ceremony before the team's first home game of the 2005 season. Former Red Sox players Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, and Carl Yastrzemski were all present, as were the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra. During the ceremony, five red pennants were first unfurled at the top of the Green Monster, showing the years of each of the Red Sox' previous World Series wins. A much larger banner was unfurled that covered the entire wall and read "2004 World Series Champions".


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
James Taylor, himself a Boston native and a Red Sox fan, performed "America the Beautiful", and 19 members of the United States Army and Marine Corps who had fought in the Iraq War walked onto the field. Moments of silence were held to honor the deaths of Pope John Paul II, who had died nine days earlier, and former Red Sox relief pitcher, Dick Radatz. The rings were handed out by the team's owner, John W. Henry.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
Former Red Sox players Lowe and Dave Roberts, who had joined the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres respectively during the off-season, were also present to collect their rings. The ceremony, which lasted around an hour, ended with stars from other Boston sports teams, including the Celtics' Bill Russell, the Bruins' Bobby Orr and the Patriots' Tedy Bruschi and Richard Seymour, throwing ceremonial first pitches. The presence of Bruschi and Seymour made evident the recent success of Boston-area teams.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
The day after the Red Sox won the Series, Shaughnessy and the rest of the news media said of the Red Sox home opener: "The team in the third-base dugout? The New York Yankees, Sweet." In a sign of respect, the Red Sox rivals came to the top step of the visitors dugout and gave the Red Sox a standing ovation. The Fenway Park crowd burst into cheers when Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera was introduced, breaking from the tradition of fans booing opposing players, due to him having blown save opportunities in Games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS. Rivera was a good sport about it and laughed while waving his arms in mock appreciation of the fans.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
All right...Forget about ending the curse and having 86 years of baggage erased in one fell swoop. If you don't get emotional watching a group of guys celebrating and hugging when you feel like you know them, when you suffered all the same highs and lows, when you spent the last seven months with them...I mean, why even follow sports at all? (Translation: It's getting a little dusty in here.)


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
Bill Simmons' entry in his Game 4 running diary at 8:42 PM Pacific Time, 1 minute after the final out


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
The following August, Simon & Schuster published Faithful, a book which collected e-mails about the Red Sox between American writers and Red Sox fans Stephen King and Stewart O'Nan during the 2004 season. In March 2005, Houghton Mifflin Company published Reversing the Curse, a book by Shaughnessy, author of the bestselling The Curse of the Bambino, chronicling the 2004 Red Sox season.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
ESPN's Bill Simmons published Now I Can Die In Peace, a collection of his columns with updated annotations and notes, including columns for each of the last four games of the ALCS and each World Series game – with Game 4 being a running diary. The Farrelly Brothers altered the ending of their 2005 film Fever Pitch – which includes appearances by Damon, Nixon and Varitek – to coincide with the actual end of the series. They and their crew, plus stars Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon, flew to St. Louis and Barrymore and Fallon attended Game 4 in character, complete with the two of them running onto the field at Busch Stadium and kissing once the final out was made.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Red Sox
On May 28, 2014, the team reunited at Fenway Park as the Red Sox celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the historic championship as they hosted the Atlanta Braves. Ramirez threw out the first pitch to Varitek but was cut off by Damon in a reversal of Ramirez once cutting off Damon's throw from center field during a game.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Cardinals
On the Cardinals' side, the media expressed disappointment at the team's failure to win a game in the Series after recording the team's best regular season in over 60 years. Many reporters believed that the Cardinals had not played up to their usual standard, and much of the blame was directed at Rolen, Edmonds and Reggie Sanders, three of the Cardinals' best hitters, who had combined for one hit in 39 at bats in the series.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, Cardinals
It also marked the last time that Busch Memorial Stadium would host a World Series. The Cardinals moved to the new Busch Stadium in their championship season of 2006, which was their first since 1982.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, 2005 season and beyond
Both the Red Sox and Cardinals made the playoffs the following season. The Red Sox lost to the eventual champions the Chicago White Sox, in the American League Division Series. The Cardinals, in a repeat meeting of the previous season's National League Championship Series, lost to the Houston Astros.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, 2005 season and beyond
However, the city of Boston would see more success when the New England Patriots won Super Bowl XXXIX, three months after the Red Sox won the World Series, giving the greater Boston area its third championship in 12 months, making it the first time since 1980 that any city had two Super Bowl winners and a World Series winner in a period of the same length.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, 2005 season and beyond
Both teams also won one of the next three World Series in successive years; the Cardinals, as noted above, in 2006, beating the Detroit Tigers in five games, becoming the first team since the New York Yankees in 1923, to win a World Series championship in their first season in a new stadium (which the Yankees themselves would also do in 2009). Tony La Russa would achieve the distinction that he could not achieve in 2004 of managing World Series winners in both leagues. He would continue to wear number 10 to pay tribute to Sparky Anderson afterwards.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, 2005 season and beyond
The Red Sox won the World Series the following year, sweeping the Colorado Rockies in four games. Tom Werner, chairman of the Red Sox, and team president Larry Lucchino said that the 2004 championship was "for the parents and grandparents who had suffered through the Curse of the Bambino", while 2007 was "for children, grandchildren, and for Red Sox Nation".


2004 World Series, Aftermath, 2005 season and beyond
Both teams would meet again in the 2013 World Series, with the Red Sox winning the championship in six games. It was the first time Boston clinched the World Series at its home field, Fenway Park, since 1918. Boston would win an additional title in 2018 when they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4 games to 1.


2004 World Series, Aftermath, 2005 season and beyond
Twelve years after this World Series, the Chicago Cubs would end their own championship drought at 108 years, defeating the Cleveland Indians in seven games. In doing this, Theo Epstein is now credited with helping to end two of the most famous curses in all of professional sports. Coincidentally, the losing manager in that year's World Series was Terry Francona, who had managed the Red Sox to both the 2004 and 2007 championships.


2004 World Series Lights
The 2004 World Series Lights season was contested over eight race weekends with 16 races. In this one-make formula all drivers had to use the Dallara chassis (Dallara WSL3) and Nissan engines (Nissan AER). Five different teams and eleven drivers competed with the titles going to Serbian driver Miloš Pavlović and Italian team Vergani Racing.


2004 World Series Lights, Teams and drivers
All teams used the Dallara WSL3 chassis and Nissan AER engines.


2004 World Series Lights, Championship standings, Final points standings
For every race the points were awarded: 15 points to the winner, 12 for runner-up, 10 for third place, 8 for fourth place, 6 for fifth place, winding down to 1 point for 10th place. Lower placed drivers did not award points. Additional points were awarded to the driver setting the fastest race lap (2 points). The best 12 race results count, but all additional points count. Four drivers had a point deduction, which are given in tooltips.


2004 World Series Lights, Championship standings, Final points standings
Only in race 1 all points were awarded — in all other races not all points were awarded (not enough competitors).


2004 World Series by Nissan
The 2004 World Series by Nissan was contested over 9 race weekends/18 rounds. In this one-make formula all drivers had to utilize Dallara chassis (Dallara SN01) and Nissan engines (Nissan VQ). 11 different teams and 31 different drivers competed. Heikki Kovalainen claimed the title for Pons Racing, finishing tenth in first race at Circuit Ricardo Tormo.


2004 World Series by Nissan, Race calendar and results, Driver standings
For every race the points were awarded: 15 points to the winner, 12 for runner-up, 10 for third place, 8 for fourth place, 6 for fifth place, winding down to 1 point for 10th place. Lower placed drivers did not award points. Additional points were awarded to the driver setting the fastest race lap (2 points). The best 14 race results count, but all additional points count.


2004 World Series of Poker
The 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was held at Binion's Horseshoe after Harrah's Entertainment purchased the casino and the rights to the tournament in January. Harrah's announced that future WSOP tournaments will be held in a moving circuit of member casinos.


2004 World Series of Poker, Main Event
There were 2,576 entrants to the main event - more than three times the number of the previous year. Each entry paid $10,000 to enter what was the largest poker tournament ever played in a brick and mortar casino at the time. Many entrants, including the overall winner, won their seat in online poker tournaments. 1995 Main Event Champion Dan Harrington made the final table for the second consecutive year. His bid for a second Main Event title came up short once again as he finished in fourth place.


2004 World Series of Poker, Main Event, Final table
*Career statistics prior to the beginning of the 2004 Main Event.


2004 World Series of Poker, Main Event, Other High Finishes
NB: This list is restricted to top 30 finishers with an existing Wikipedia entry.


2004 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships
The 2004 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships took place between March 17 and 19, 2004 in Gothenburg, Sweden. The World Championships are organised by the ISU which also run world cups and championships in speed skating and figure skating.


2004 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, Results, Men
* First place is awarded 34 points, second is awarded 21 points, third is awarded 13 points, fourth is awarded 8 points, fifth is awarded 5 points, sixth is awarded 3 points, seventh is awarded 2 points, and eighth is awarded 1 point in the finals of each individual race to determine the overall world champion. The relays do not count for the overall classification.


2004 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, Results, Women
† In the final of the Women's 3000 m relay, the Italian team was disqualified.


2004 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, Results, Women
* First place is awarded 34 points, second is awarded 21 points, third is awarded 13 points, fourth is awarded 8 points, fifth is awarded 5 points, sixth is awarded 3 points, seventh is awarded 2 points, and eighth is awarded 1 point in the finals of each individual race to determine the overall world champion. The relays do not count for the overall classification.


2004 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships
The 2004 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships were held between 12 and 14 March 2004 in the Taereung Indoor Ice Rink, Seoul, South Korea.


2004 World Snooker Championship
The 2004 World Snooker Championship (also referred to as the 2004 Embassy World Snooker Championship for the purposes of sponsorship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 17 April and 3 May 2004 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.


2004 World Snooker Championship
Mark Williams was the defending champion, but he lost in the second round 11–13 against Joe Perry.


2004 World Snooker Championship
Ronnie O'Sullivan won his second world title by defeating Graeme Dott 18–8 in the final, despite having trailed Dott 0–5. This was the fourth biggest margin in a World final, subsequently equalled by O'Sullivan against Ali Carter in 2008, and Kyren Wilson in 2020. The tournament was sponsored by cigarette manufacturer Embassy.


2004 World Snooker Championship, Prize fund
The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:


2004 World Snooker Championship, Main draw
Shown below are the results for each round. The numbers in parentheses beside some of the players are their seeding ranks (each championship has 16 seeds and 16 qualifiers).


2004 World Snooker Championship, Qualifying
The matches were played at Pontin's, Prestatyn Sands in between 10 and 20 February 2004.


2004 World Snooker Championship, Century breaks
There were 55 centuries in this year's championship. The highest break of the tournament was 145 made by Joe Perry.


2004 World Sports Acrobatics Championships
19th World Sports Acrobatics Championships were held in Liévin, France from May 21 to May 23, 2004.


2004 World Table Tennis Championships – Men's Team
The 2004 World Table Tennis Championships – Men's Team (Swaythling Cup) was the 47th edition of the men's team championship.


2004 World Table Tennis Championships – Men's Team
China won the gold medal defeating Germany 3-0 in the final. South Korea won the bronze medal. The International Table Tennis Association introduced a new format for the second stage of the tournament.


2004 World Table Tennis Championships – Women's Team
The 2004 World Table Tennis Championships –  Women's Team (Corbillon Cup) was the 40th edition of the women's team championship.


2004 World Table Tennis Championships – Women's Team
China won the gold medal defeating Hong Kong in the final 3-0. Japan won the bronze medal. The International Table Tennis Association introduced a new format for the second stage of the tournament.


2004 World Team Cup
The 2004 ARAG World Team Cup was a tennis tournament play on outdoor clay courts. It was the 26th edition of the World Team Cup, and was part of the 2004 ATP Tour. It took place at the Rochusclub in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 16 May through 21 May 2004.


2004 World Team Cup
Chile were the defending champions, and they won the title again, defeating Australia in the final by two rubbers to one.


2004 World Team Table Tennis Championships
The 2004 World Team Table Tennis Championships was held at the Qatar International Exhibition Center  in Doha, Qatar from March 1 to March 7, 2004. This decision was announced in May 2001. It is the 47th edition to be contested.


2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings was the inaugural edition of the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings. It is an assessment of racehorses which was issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) in January 2005. It includes horses aged three or older which raced or were trained during 2004 in countries where the flat racing year runs from January 1 to December 31. These countries are generally in the Northern Hemisphere.


2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The ratings represent a weight value in pounds, with higher values given to horses which showed greater ability. It is judged that these weights would equalize the abilities of the horses if carried in a theoretical handicap race. The list includes all horses rated 115 or above, and it also shows the surface and the distances at which the rating was achieved.


2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The highest rating in the 2004 season was 130, which was given to the performance of Ghostzapper in the Breeders' Cup Classic. In total, 162 horses were included in the list.


2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Full rankings for 2004
Certain horses may have also recorded a lesser rating over a distance different from that listed above. The IFHA publishes this information when the lower rating represents the overall top performance in a particular category. There were seven such additional ratings for this season:


2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Top ranked horses
The tables below show the top ranked horses overall, the top fillies and mares, and the top three-year-olds in the 2004 Rankings. They also show the top performers in various subdivisions of each group, which are defined by the distances of races, and the surfaces on which they are run. The IFHA recognizes five distance categories — Sprint, Mile, Intermediate, Long and Extended — identified by the acronym "SMILE". These are framed as follows:


2004 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
The 2004 World U-17 Hockey Challenge was an international ice hockey tournament held in Newfoundland, Canada between . The two main venues were the Mile One Stadium in St. John's and the Glacier Arena in Mount Pearl, while the S. W. Moores Arena in Harbour Grace and the Whitbourne Arena were also used for exhibition games.


2004 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Ten teams participated, including the United States, Russia, Slovakia, Germany, Finland and five regional teams representing Canada – Canada Pacific, Canada West, Canada Quebec, Canada Ontario and Canada Atlantic. Team Ontario defeated Team Pacific 5–2 to win the gold medal, while Team Quebec defeated the United States 3–2 to capture the bronze, marking the first time in the tournament's history that Canada swept all three medals.


2004 World University Boxing Championship
The 2004 World University Boxing Championships took place in Antalya, Turkey between November 22 and 29 2004. 129 boxers from 27 countries participated at the inaugural tournament.


2004 World University Sailing Championship
The 2004 World University Sailing Championship took place in Izmir, Turkey between July 4 and 8 2004. 25 men and 14 women from 7 countries participated at the third edition tournament.


2004 World University Sailing Championship, Results
For this event, the FISU protocol was somewhat modified, so that the athletes were not given medals but rather they were awarded cups in the tradition of sailing competitions.


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship
The 2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship was held from January 19 to 24 in Sursee, Switzerland.


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group A
Third: Pavel SavovSecond: Svetozar KirovLead: Neli SabevaAlternate: Rumen PanayotovCoach: Dimitar Dimitrov


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group A
Third: Jørn KristensenSecond: Rosita JensenLead: Bjarne JensenAlternate: Pernille PirchertCoach: Per Christensen


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group A
Third: Geir Arne SkogstadSecond: Lene TystadLead: Trine FissumCoach: Gry Roaldseth


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group A
Third: Michael McCreadieSecond: Ken DicksonLead: Angie MaloneAlternate: James SellarCoach:  Jane Sanderson


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group A
Third: Manfred BolligerSecond: Cesare CassaniLead: Therese KämpferAlternate: Otto ErbCoach: Heinz Sommerhalder


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group A
Third: Mark TaylorSecond: Sam WoodwardLead: Loren KinneyAlternate: Danelle LibbyCoach: Diane Brown


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group B
Third: Orazio FagoneSecond: Rita Dal MonteLead: Fabio TripodiAlternate: Pierino GaspardCoach: Mauro Maino


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group B
Third: Valeriy ChepilkoSecond: Andrey SmirnovLead: Oxana SlesarenkoAlternate: Nikolay MelnikovCoach: Oleg Narinyan


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group B
Third: Kim Myung-jinSecond: Cho Yae-leeLead: Cho Yang-hyunAlternate: Kim Kab-seungCoach: Yang Se-young


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Teams, Group B
Third: Glenn IkonenSecond: Bernt SjöbergLead: Anette WilhelmAlternate: Rolf JohanssonCoach: Thomas Wilhelm


2004 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, Tiebreakers
Bulgaria moves to the ninth place classification game, while Norway moves to the eleventh place classification game.


2004 World Women's Curling Championship
The 2004 World Women's Curling Championship (branded as 2004 Ford World Women's Curling Championship for sponsorship reasons) was held at the Gavlerinken in Gävle, Sweden from April 17–25, 2004.


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Colleen Jones Third: Kim Kelly Second: Mary-Anne Arsenault Lead: Nancy Delahunt Alternate: Mary Sue Radford


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Madeleine Dupont Third: Denise Dupont Second: Helle Simonsen Lead: Maria Poulsen Alternate: Lene Nielsen


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Kirsi Nykänen* Fourth: Tiina Kautonen Second: Sari Laakkonen Lead: Minna Malinen Alternate: Riikka Louhivuori (*Throws third rocks)


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Diana Gaspari Third: Giulia Lacedelli Second: Rosa Pompanin Lead: Violetta Caldart Alternate: Chiara Olivieri


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Shinobu Aota Third: Yukari Okazaki Second: Eriko Minatoya Lead: Kotomi Ishizaki Alternate: Mari Motohashi


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Dordi Nordby Third: Linn Githmark Second: Marianne Haslum Lead: Camilla Holth Alternate: Marianne Rørvik


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Jackie Lockhart Third: Sheila Swan Second: Katriona Fairweather Lead: Anne Laird Alternate: Kelly Wood


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Anette Norberg Third: Eva Lund Second: Cathrine Norberg Lead: Anna Bergström Alternate: Ulrika Bergman


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Luzia Ebnöther Third: Carmen Küng Second: Tanya Frei Lead: Nadia Röthlisberger-Raspe Alternate: Laurence Bidaud


2004 World Women's Curling Championship, Teams
Skip : Patti Lank Third: Erika Brown Second: Nicole Joraanstad Lead: Natalie Nicholson Alternate: Barb Perrella


2004 World's Strongest Man
The 2004 World's Strongest Man was the 27th edition of World's Strongest Man and was won by Vasyl Virastyuk from Ukraine. It was his first title after finishing third the previous year. Zydrunas Savickas from Lithuania finished second for the third year in a row. Originally Mariusz Pudzianowski from Poland finished third, but was later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance, thus third place was given to Magnus Samuelsson from Sweden. The contest was held in Nassau, Bahamas. The qualifying heats saw a major format change, going from the traditional 5-6 man heats with the top 2 going to the finals. This year's format was a 12-man round-robin competition taking place over 5 days, with the top six going onto the finals.


2004 World's Strongest Man, Qualifying heats
Events: Deadlift with Barrels Machine, Squat Lift with Barrels Machine, Safe Lift for reps, Truck Pull, Super Yoke, Giant Farmer's Walk, Carry & Drag (Carry an Anchor & Drag Chain & Anchor), Fingal's Fingers, Wrestling, Stone Circle, Atlas Stones


2004 World's Strongest Man, Final results
Events: Carry Race (Carry an Anchor & Giant Farmer's Walk), Fridge Carry (Super Yoke), Squat Lift with Barrels Machine, Car Deadlift for reps, Safe Lift for reps, Truck Pull, Wheelbarrow Race, Atlas Stones


2004 Worthing Borough Council election
The 2004 Worthing Borough Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Worthing Borough Council in West Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election 2003 increasing the number of seats by 1. The Conservative Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control. Overall turnout was 38.23%.


2004 Worthing Borough Council election
The campaign saw a debate between the two main parties on the council over development in Worthing and the fate of the local swimming pool Aquarina. The results saw the Conservatives make significant gains from the Liberal Democrats to take power in Worthing. The top Liberal Democrat to lose in the election was the leader of the council, Sheila Player, who came fourth in Selden ward and failed to be elected as a result. The defeat for the Liberal Democrats was put down to anger over a warning that they might have to close the local museum, art gallery and swimming pool to save money.


2004 Wyoming Cowboys football team
The 2004 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cowboys offense scored 318 points while the defense allowed 297 points. Led by head coach Joe Glenn, the Cowboys competed in the Las Vegas Bowl.


2004 Wyoming Cowboys football team, Pre-Season
During the off season, War Memorial Stadium was upgraded with new railings installed in certain areas as well as more handicap accessible.


2004 Wyoming Cowboys football team, Pre-Season
The big concern coming into Spring Training was the lack of depth on defense, a young and inexperienced offensive line and a poor running game. 13 Starters and 38 lettermen returned.


2004 Wyoming Cowboys football team, Pre-Season
Fall practice began on August 11, 2004. The Cowboys participated in two inter squad scrimmages. The first one was held August 21 and the second one was 5 days later on the 26th.


2004 Wyoming Cowboys football team, Players, Quarterbacks
Corey Bramlet replaced his older brother, Casey, who graduate the previous season.


2004 Wyoming Democratic presidential caucuses
The 2004 Wyoming Democratic presidential caucuses took place on February 3, 2004 as part of the 2004 United States Democratic presidential primaries. The delegate allocation is Proportional, the candidates are awarded delegates in proportion to the percentage of votes received.


2004 Wyoming Democratic presidential caucuses
Because Kerry had already won the nomination, and the small number of people in the state that are registered Democrats, the turnout was extremely low.


2004 Wyre Forest District Council election
The 2004 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2003. The council stayed under no overall control, but with the Conservatives taking over as the largest party on the council from the Health Concern party.


2004 Wyre Forest District Council election, Background
In total 113 candidates stood in the election with all 42 seats being contested for the first time since 1979 after boundary changes had taken place. The boundary changes meant that Bewdley ward had gained an extra councillor and become Bewdley and Arley, while Blakedown and Chaddesley had been combined into one ward. The Conservatives put up a full slate of 42 candidates with Health Concern having the next most with 27. Other candidates included 24 Labour, 9 Liberal, 7 Liberal Democrats and 3 independents. A noted feature of the candidates was that there were ten married couples standing in the election with two of them being existing councillors.


2004 Wyre Forest District Council election, Background
Before the election Health Concern had 16 seats on the council as compared to 11 for the Conservatives. This was a drop for Health Concern from 2003 after 3 councillors had defected to the Conservatives.


2004 Wyre Forest District Council election, Election result
The results had the Conservatives gain 8 seats to become the largest party on the council. This was mainly at the expense of Health Concern whose losses included the leader of the council, Howard Martin. For other parties the election saw the Liberals gain one seat to hold 8, while both Labour and the Liberal Democrats stayed on the same number of seats. The results meant that 14 councillors, a third of the council, would be new. Voter turnout was up at 38.83% after seeing less than 31% in 2003, with the highest turnout being 54.36% in Wolverley.


2004 Wyre Forest District Council election, Election result
The Conservatives success was put down to a strong campaign and they were expected to form the next administration. This would be the first time in 15 years that the Conservatives would have control of Wyre Forest council, with the other parties saying they would not attempt to form a rival coalition leaving the way clear for the Conservatives. The Conservatives were expected to attempt to implement their manifesto pledges including bringing a cinema to Kidderminster, changing car parking in Kidderminster and reviewing the fortnightly refuse collection.


2004 Wyre Forest District Council election, Election result
Conservative control was confirmed at a council meeting on 30 June with Stephen Clee becoming leader of the council. Meanwhile, Health Concern councillors chose Ken Stokes to become the new leader of their group on the council.


2004 Wyre Forest District Council election, By-elections between 2004 and 2006
A by-election was held in Aggborough and Spennells after the death of Conservative councillor Maureen Aston. Candidates at the election included the former leader of the council Howard Martin for Health Concern, a former councillor for the ward, Adrian Sewell for Labour, and the first Green party candidate for an election to Wyre Forest District Council, Kate Spohrer. The seat was held by Conservative John Aston, husband of the former councillor, with a majority of 63 votes over Liberal Democrat Samantha Walker.


2004 XP14
2004 XP14 is a sub-kilometer asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group. It was first observed by the LINEAR project on 10 December 2004.


2004 XP14, Description
Although initially there were concerns that it might possibly impact Earth later in the 21st century and thus merit special monitoring, further analysis of its orbit has since ruled out any such collision, at least in the foreseeable future.


2004 XP14, Description
The size of 2004 XP14 is not precisely known. Based on optical measurements, the object is between 300 and 800 meters in diameter. Radar observations place a lower bound of about 260 meters (850 ft).


2004 XP14, Description
2004 XP14's closest pass by Earth was above the west coast of North America at 04:25 UTC on 3 July 2006.


2004 XP14, Description
The asteroid's distance from Earth's center of mass at that moment was 0.0028906 AU (432,430 km; 268,700 mi), or just 1.1 times the Moon's average distance from Earth. It was observed immediately after this close approach by radar from three locations, from Goldstone in the Mojave Desert in the US, from Sicily, and from Yevpatoria RT-70 radio telescope, Ukraine, as well as optically from other observatories and amateurs.


2004 XP14, Description
It was removed from the Sentry Risk Table on 17 March 2005.


2004 XR190
2004 XR190, nicknamed Buffy, is a trans-Neptunian object, classified as both a scattered disc object and a detached object, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was first observed on 11 December 2004, by astronomers with the Canada–France Ecliptic Plane Survey at the Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, United States. The highly inclined dwarf planet candidate measures approximately 560 kilometers (350 miles) in diameter. With its perihelion of 51 AU, it belongs to a small and poorly understood group of very distant objects with moderate eccentricities.


2004 XR190, Discovery and naming
Buffy was discovered on 11 December 2004. It was discovered by astronomers led by (Rhiannon) Lynne Allen of the University of British Columbia as part of the Canada–France Ecliptic Plane Survey (CFEPS) using the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) near the ecliptic. The team included Brett Gladman, John Kavelaars, Jean-Marc Petit, Joel Parker and Phil Nicholson. In 2015, six precovery images from 2002 and 2003 were found in Sloan Digital Sky Survey data.


2004 XR190, Discovery and naming
The object was nicknamed "Buffy" by the discovery team, after the fictional vampire slayer Buffy Summers, and proposed several Inuit-based official names to the International Astronomical Union.


2004 XR190, Orbit and classification
Buffy orbits the Sun at a distance of 51.1–63.4 AU once every 433 years and 3 months (158,242 days; semi-major axis of 57.26 AU). Its orbit has a moderate eccentricity of 0.11 and a high inclination of 47° with respect to the ecliptic.


2004 XR190, Orbit and classification
It belongs to the same group as 2014 FC72, 2014 FZ71, 2015 FJ345 and 2015 KQ174 (also see diagram), that are poorly understood for their large perihelia combined with moderate eccentricities. Considered a scattered and detached object, Buffy is particularly unusual as it has an unusually circular orbit for a scattered-disc object (SDO).


2004 XR190, Orbit and classification
Although it is thought that traditional scattered-disc objects have been ejected into their current orbits by gravitational interactions with Neptune, the low eccentricity of its orbit and the distance of its perihelion (SDOs generally have highly eccentric orbits and perihelia less than 38 AU) seems hard to reconcile with such celestial mechanics. This has led to some uncertainty as to the current theoretical understanding of the outer Solar System. The theories include close stellar passages, unseen planet/rogue planets/planetary embryos in the early Kuiper belt, and resonance interaction with an outward-migrating Neptune. The Kozai mechanism is capable of transferring orbital eccentricity to a higher inclination.


2004 XR190, Orbit and classification
The object is also the largest possible dwarf planet that has an inclination larger than 45°, traveling further "up and down" than "left to right" around the Sun when viewed edge-on along the ecliptic.


2004 XR190, Orbit and classification, Most distant objects
Buffy came to aphelion around 1901. Other than long-period comets, it is currently about the thirteenth-most-distant known large body (57.5 AU) in the Solar System with a well-known orbit, after Eris and Dysnomia (96.3 AU), Gonggong (87.4 AU), Sedna (85.9 AU), 2014 FC69 (84.0 AU), 2006 QH181 (83.3 AU), 2012 VP113 (83.3 AU), 2013 FY27 (80.3 AU), 2010 GB174 (70.5 AU), 2000 CR105 (60.3 AU), 2003 QX113 (59.8 AU), and 2008 ST291 (59.6 AU).


2004 XR190, Physical characteristics
With assumed albedos between 0.04 and 0.25, and absolute magnitudes from 4.3 to 4.6, Buffy has an estimated diameter of 335 to 850 kilometers; the mean arrived at by considering the two single-figure estimates plus the centre points of the three ranges is 562 km, approximately a quarter the diameter of Pluto.


2004 XR190, Physical characteristics
On his website, American astronomer Michael Brown lists Buffy as a "likely" dwarf planet (500–600 km), which is the category with the 3rd highest certainty in his 5-class taxonomic system. As of 2018, no well-documented spectral type and color indices, nor a rotational lightcurve have been obtained from spectroscopic and photometric observations; however, the Johnston's Archive lists a "taxonomic type" of "BR", and a "B-R magnitude" of 1.24. The rotation period, pole and shape officially remain unknown.


2004 XR190, Gallery
Orbital diagram of Buffy (Earth's orbit in the center is for scale)


2004 XXXX FIBA International Christmas Tournament
The 2004 XXXX FIBA International Christmas Tournament "Trofeo Raimundo Saporta-Memorial Fernando Martín" was the 40th edition of the FIBA International Christmas Tournament. It took place at Palacio Vistalegre, Madrid, Spain, on 25 December 2004 with the participations of Real Madrid and Telemar Rio de Janeiro.


2004 Yale Bulldogs football team
The 2004 Yale Bulldogs football team represented Yale University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Bulldogs were led by eighth-year head coach Jack Siedlecki, played their home games at the Yale Bowl and finished tied for fourth in the Ivy League with a 3–4 record, 5–5 overall.


2004 Yanbu attack
The 2004 Yanbu attack was an attack by gunmen against Westerners on May 1, 2004, in Yanbu' al Bahr, Saudi Arabia.


2004 Yanbu attack
At least four militants used security passes to access a local petrochemical plant. Once on the grounds of the facility, they stormed the offices of the Texas-based ABB Lummus and killed seven people. Two were Americans, two were British, one was Australian and one was a Saudi National Guard member. A Canadian worker died on May 15 of his wounds.


2004 Yanbu attack
The attackers were believed to be linked to Al Qaeda, though Crown Prince Abdullah, then de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, disputed these claims at the time. From 2003 to 2004, militants carried out attacks against the Saudi government and foreigners living there in an effort to topple the monarchy. Less than a month after these attacks, gunmen staged a similar attack in Al-Khobar, killing 22.


2004 Ykkönen
League tables for teams participating in Ykkönen, the second tier of the Finnish Soccer League system, in 2004.


2004 Ykkönen, League table, Promotion Play-Offs
Jazz Pori as 13th placed team in the 2004 Veikkausliiga and MIFK Mariehamn as runners-up of the 2004 Ykkönen competed in a two-legged play-off for a place in the Veikkausliiga. MIFK won the play-offs 3-2 on aggregate and were promoted to the Veikkausliiga.


2004 Ykkönen, League table, Promotion Play-Offs
MIFK Mariehamn - Jazz Pori  1-0Jazz Pori - MIFK Mariehamn  2-2


2004 Ykkönen, League table, Relegation Play-Offs
OLS Oulu - VG-62 Naantali       0-1VG-62 Naantali - OLS Oulu       3-1


2004 Ykkönen, League table, Relegation Play-Offs
KPV Kokkola - Kraft Närpes      1-1Kraft Närpes - KPV Kokkola      1-1 aet., 1-4 pen.


2004 Ykkönen, League table, Relegation Play-Offs
KPV Kokkola (formerly also KPV-J Kokkola) were promoted to the Ykkönen and Kraft Närpes relegated to the Kakkonen. KPV Kokkola won 4-1 on penalties. VG-62 Naantali remained in the Ykkönen after beating OLS Oulu 4-1 on aggregate.


2004 Zacatecas state election
The Mexican state of Zacatecas held an election on Sunday, 4 July 2004. At stake was the office of the Zacatecas State Governor, all 30 members of the unicameral Zacatecas State Congress, and 57 mayors and municipal councils.


2004 Zacatecas state election
Turnout was in excess of 50% of the 935,548 zacatecanos eligible to vote.


2004 Zacatecas state election, Governor
At the time of the election, the sitting governor was Ricardo Monreal Ávila of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).


2004 Zacatecas state election, Governor
At 22h30, with results from 46% of the polling stations counted, the victory of Amalia García, with a 35,000 vote lead, seemed inevitable.


2004 Zamboanga City local elections
Local elections were held in  Zamboanga City on May 10, 2004, within the Philippine general election. The voters elected for the elective local posts in the city: the mayor, vice mayor, 12 councilors and one representative from its lone district.


2004 Zamboanga City local elections, Mayoral and vice mayoral elections
Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat died of complications on January 2004, paving the mayoralty race for the ruling Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino wide open since she was the presumptive nominee running for a third term. Vice-Mayor Erbie Fabian took her place as acting mayor.


2004 Zamboanga City local elections, Mayoral and vice mayoral elections
Lobregat's son, incumbent Congressman Celso Lobregat became the standard-bearer of the LDP, and incumbent Mayor Fabian will run for the post left by Celso. Celso picked Councilor Beng Climaco as his running-mate.


2004 Zamboanga City local elections, Results
The candidate for district representative, mayor, and vice mayor with the highest number of votes wins the seat; they are voted separately; therefore, they may be of different parties when elected.


2004 Zamboanga City local elections, Results, House of Representatives election, Lone District
Incumbent Vice-Mayor Erbie Fabian is running for the post against former Mayor Manuel Dalipe.


2004 Zamboanga City local elections, Results, Mayoral elections
Incumbent Congressman Celso Lobregat is running for mayor against prominent businessman Lepeng Wee and Councilor Charlie Mariano.


2004 Zamboanga City local elections, Results, Vice-mayoral elections
The vice-mayorship is vacant since Vice-Mayor Erbie Fabian took office upon Mayor Lobregat's death. Incumbent Councilor Beng Climaco runs against veteran politician Jaime Cabato.


2004 Zamboanga City local elections, Results, City council elections
Zamboanga City elects twelve councilors to the city council. The twelve candidates with the highest number of votes wins the seats.


2004 Züri-Metzgete
The 2004 Züri-Metzgete was the 89th edition of the Züri-Metzgete road cycling one day race. It was held on 22 August 2004 as part of the 2004 UCI Road World Cup. The race was won by Juan Antonio Flecha of Spain.


2004 aluminium alloy
2004 Aluminium is aluminium alloy in 2xxx series, which has Copper as main alloying element and some impurity elements.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong
The incident of the 10-Truck Arms and Ammunition Haul took place in Chattogram, Bangladesh, on the night of 1 April 2004, when police and Coast Guard interrupted the loading of ten trucks and seized extensive illegal arms and ammunition at a jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL) on the Karnaphuli River. This is believed to be the largest arms smuggling incident in the history of Bangladesh.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong
Investigators believed that delivery was intended for the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), a militant group seeking the independence of Assam from India and considered responsible for causing thousands of deaths since 1979. Its military wing chief, Paresh Baruah, then living in Dhaka, was among the 50 persons ultimately charged in the case.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong
This incident occurred during the administration of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its Four-Party alliance, which led the government from 2001 to late October 2006. Media analysts said that, given the scale of the operation and existing problems with corruption, high government officials and intelligence officers were believed to be involved in the smuggling plans. In 2004, arms smuggling charges were filed against a total of 45 individuals under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and arms charges against 43 persons under the Arms Act. In March 2009, one of the accused submitted a ten-page statement about the case, saying he had told police of high-level government involvement as early as 2005. He said his confessions were not recorded and officials warned him against repeating his statements, upon the threat of death.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong
In early 2007 the caretaker government filed corruption charges against more than 160 politicians, civil servants and businessmen; it continued to develop this case. Prosecution of this smuggling case has continued under the Awami League government, formed after winning the general elections in December 2008.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Seizure
The police and Coast Guard interrupted the loading of materials in the smuggling incident. They seized ten truckloads of material: a total of 4,930 different types of sophisticated firearms; 27,020 grenades; 840 rocket launchers, 300 rockets, 2,000 grenade launching tubes; 6,392 magazines; and 1,140,520 bullets, which were being loaded on ten trucks from two-engine boats at the jetty of CUFL at Chittagong harbour. The illegal arms were believed to be intended for ULFA, the militant organisation working for independence of Assam from India, with many members based in Bangladesh. It is classified as a terrorist group by India and considered responsible for thousands of deaths since its founding in 1979.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Seizure
Ahadur Rahman, then officer-in-charge of Karnaphuli police station, filed a case related to the incident on 3 April 2004. He was appointed as Investigation Officer (IO) of the cases. After 22 days, the cases were transferred to the national CID, where ASP AKM Kabir Uddin was appointed IO. He submitted the first charge sheet to the court on 11 June 2004. In 2004, arms smuggling charges were filed against a total of 45 individuals under the Special Powers Act and arms charges against 43 persons under the Arms Act.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Seizure
The Bangladesh National Party, which led the government at the time of the smuggling incident, resigned at end of term in October 2006 and a caretaker government took charge for the 90-day period until elections. On 11 January 2007, Chief Advisor and President Iajuddin Ahmed announced he would be resigning from the CA position and appointing a replacement; the military had intervened to support a neutral government following the withdrawal of the Awami League from elections scheduled for 22 January. The prominent banker, Fakhruddin Ahmed, who had been with the World Bank, was appointed as Chief Advisor. At the time, the government relieved Major General Haider Chowdhury, then Director General for National Security Intelligence, of his duties and put him under investigation. He was later charged in this smuggling case.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Trial
Since 2007, prosecution has been emphasised for the arms smuggling and illegal arms charges in this smuggling case. Those charged in this case have included the following politicians and military officers who had held senior positions in the BNP-led government, which resigned at its end of term in late October 2006:


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Trial
In addition, the following prominent company officials were charged in this case: Mohshin Talukder, managing director of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited, and its general manager, AKM Enamul Haque.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Trial
The military wing chief of ULFA, Paresh Baruah, was also charged. Since 1979, ULFA has been implicated in violence resulting in the deaths of thousands in its struggle for independence of Assam from India. "The Indian authorities have long complained that Bangladesh has become a safe haven for insurgent groups active in north-eastern Indian states." Since 2008, the government of Bangladesh has been working with India against such terrorist groups.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Trial
Nurul Amin and Paresh Baruah fled the country before being arrested. Many of the other suspects were arrested.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Trial
On 26 June 2011, the current Investigation Officer in the smuggling case submitted a supplementary charge sheet before the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Paresh Chandra Sharma, that implicated eleven more people. Including overlap, the total number of suspects charged were 50 in the smuggling case and 52 in the arms case. New people charged included Motiur Rahman Nizami, former Industries Minister under the BNP government; and Lutfozzaman Babar, former State Minister for Home Affairs. Four suspects have died since original charges were filed.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Trial
Md Hafizur Rahman and Din Mohammad, charged in the smuggling case, submitted statements to the Metropolitan Magistrate Md Osman Gani on 2 March 2009, saying that the massive amount of arms and ammunition was being smuggled under the direct supervision of Ulfa leader Paresh Barua, who was residing in Dhaka at that time. In addition, they said that numerous men associated with the BNP-led government and Jatiya Party, including members of parliament, government officials, leaders of the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI),were very much aware of the operation.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Trial
Hafizur had a ten-page statement, reiterating what he said was information earlier provided to police after he surrendered on 25 October 2005. But, he said his earlier confessions were never recorded, and officials warned him against making such statements. He said in his 2009 statement that they had threatened him with death. He discussed first being contacted in 2001 about accepting a shipment at Chittagong. It was not until February 2004 that he learned the true identity of a man he knew originally as Zaman; the man admitted to being Paresh Baruah, military wing chief of ULFA.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Trial
The trials began in 2012 in Chittagong. On 28 November 2012, tight security accompanied ten of eleven charge-sheeted accused persons who were presented in court. That day, the prosecution witness Mobin Hossain Khan, former assistant security officer of Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL), testified that former Industries Secretary Nurul Amin was informed of the smuggling operation in advance. The next sessions were scheduled for 7 January 2013.


2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong, Verdict
On 30 January 2014, a special court in Chittagong commuted death sentence to Paresh Barua and 13 others, including Jamaat chief and then industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami and then state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, for smuggling in ten truckloads of firearms in 2004.


2004 attack on Istanbul restaurant
On March 9, 2004, an attack on a restaurant in the Kartal district of Istanbul, Turkey killed Hüseyin Kurugöl, a waiter in the restaurant, and injured five others. The two Islamic militants who carried out the attack, Engin Vural and Nihat Doğruel, were holding automatic weapons and had ten homemade pipe bombs strapped to their flak jackets when they entered the restaurant frequented by freemasons. Shooting the guard in his feet, they entered the dining hall and began firing at the forty people in the room. Then they detonated bombs at the entrance, killing Kurugöl. One of the militants died in the attack, the other was seriously injured.


2004 attack on Istanbul restaurant
This attack occurred 911 days after the September 11 attacks. On March 11, the newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi received a statement which claimed that an al-Qaeda affiliated group, Jund al-Quds, ('Soldiers of Jerusalem'), had carried out the attack. The statement's primary purpose was to claim responsibility for the March 11, 2004 Madrid attacks.


2004 attack on Istanbul restaurant
In August 2004, the trial of the suspects began. While Turkish authorities said there was likely an al-Qaeda link, the surviving bomber, Engin Vural, claimed it was an independent act he planned along with the dead bomber, Nihat Doğruel. The prosecution charged that a man named Adem Çetinkaya, who was also charged, organized the attack and was also planning to bomb a private television station.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin
Beginning in October 2004, an attempt was made to re-establish a revived Sanhedrin, a national rabbinical court of Jewish law in Israel. The organization heading this attempt refers to itself as the nascent Sanhedrin or developing Sanhedrin, and regards itself as a provisional body awaiting integration into the Israeli government as both a supreme court and an upper house of the Knesset. The Israeli secular press regards it as an illegitimate fundamentalist organization of rabbis.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin
The organization, which is composed of over 70 rabbis (similar to the composition of the original Sanhedrin), claims to enjoy recognition and support from the entire religious Jewish community in Israel. However, it is totally ignored by the Haredi community, and has stirred debate in both religious and secularist circles. There has not been a "full meeting" of the Sanhedrin since 2005.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, Precedents
The 12th century scholar, Maimonides, discussed the seeming incompatibility of the essential requirement of Jewish Law for a Sanhedrin, and the inability to form one due to the loss of semikhah. In his magnum opus, the Mishneh Torah, he proposed a procedure to re-establish a Sanhedrin. This later became the subject of legal rulings by Rabbi Jacob Berab, Rabbi Yosef Karo and others.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, Precedents
There have been several attempts to implement Maimonides' recommendations. The current attempt is the sixth in recent history. It is modeled after the attempt by Rabbi Jacob Berab in 1538, and follows attempts by Rabbi Yisroel of Shklov in 1830, Rabbi Aharon Mendel haCohen in 1901, Rabbi Zvi Kovsker in 1940 and Rabbi Yehuda Leib Maimon in 1949.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The election process and selection of Rav Halberstam
Maimonides and other medieval commentators suggested that, although the line of semikhah (Biblical ordination) from Moses had been broken in 425 CE, if the sages in the land of Israel agree upon a single candidate being worthy of semikhah, that individual would have semikhah, and could then grant it to others, thus enabling the re-establishment of the Sanhedrin.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The election process and selection of Rav Halberstam
According to the new Sanhedrin's website, the process of election was explained by Rabbi Dov Levanoni, a member of the new Sanhedrin. He said the most recent attempt to renew the institution of semikhah in 2004 was made through a consensus of hundreds of the most influential and scholarly rabbis living in Israel. While Rabbi Yaakov Beirav and Rabbi Yosef Karo laid an excellent halachic (Jewish law) foundation for understanding this teaching of Maimonides, the current attempt to re-establish the Jewish Sanhedrin has tried to learn from previous attempts and avoid some of the pitfalls.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The election process and selection of Rav Halberstam
For example, to avoid claims that not all the rabbis of Israel were aware of the latest attempt to set up the Sanhedrin, an initial enormous expenditure was spent on a publicity campaign of the upcoming semikhah process, 50,000 copies of a detailed flier were distributed among 4,500 Jewish centers in Israel, outlining that a vote of a first samuch was going to be held, along with contact information of the Va'ad ha-Mechonen la-Sanhedrin. Not long afterwards, seven hundred leading Rabbonim were contacted either in person or by written letter. R' Levanoni explained that Rabbi Moshe Halberstam, a senior Rabbi on Jerusalem's Edah HaChareidis, became the first samuch after receiving approval by Israel's leading rabbis – those followed by most of Israel's religious Jews – and there were no objections from the hundreds of rabbis consulted via written letters.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The election process and selection of Rav Halberstam
The website also claims that leading sages have supported the semikhah directly or indirectly or abstained, and specifically mentions these names, though with no proof: Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and many others gave their blessing but did not join the Sanhedrin. The son of Rabbi Mordecai Eliyahu is one of the rabbis ordained. Former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva of Merkaz HaRav Kook Rabbi Avraham Shapira chose to abstain on the issue but also refused to discourage it.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The election process and selection of Rav Halberstam
Rabbi Halberstam (April 1, 1932 – April 26, 2006), who was selected to receive Semikhah by consensus, was a relatively well known figure and widely respected. Rabbi Halberstam was the son of Grand Rabbi Yaakov Halberstam of Tshokava (a scion of the Sanz dynasty) and of the daughter of Rabbi Sholom of Shotz of London. He was the rosh yeshiva of the Tshokava Yeshiva in Jerusalem and one of the most prominent members of the Edah Charedis Rabbinical court of Jerusalem. He was known as a tremendous Torah scholar and a decisor of halachic law.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The election process and selection of Rav Halberstam
He wrote approbations to many works of Torah literature. Rabbi Halberstam served at the President of Hatzolah Israel. He was also the Rabbi of the Shaarei Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem. He was known for his tolerance towards other streams of thought in Orthodox Judaism. Despite his own Chareidi anti-Zionist background, he also maintained contacts with Modern Orthodox, religious Zionist leaders.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The election process and selection of Rav Halberstam
The website does not claim that these figures supported the creation of a Sanhedrin, only that they supported the reinstitution of Semikhah. Rabbi Dov Shtein, the secretary for the Sanhedrin project, claimed that Rabbi Halberstam understood where his actions would lead. Rabbi Dov Shtein said "Without Rabbi Halberstam's efforts toward renewing semikhah, it would not have happened the way it did. ...


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The election process and selection of Rav Halberstam
By agreeing to be the first to be ordained, he took a serious risk of being rejected and condemned by his community for taking part in such a project, which set the ball rolling for the foundation of a Jewish legal body that seeks to eventually supersede the Badatz. But despite the serious pressures put on him following his agreement and granting of semikhah to others, he never went back on it or even tempered his agreement with the act of renewing semikhah."


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The formation of a placeholder Sanhedrin
The Sanhedrin website explains "To avoid disagreements over who was worthy to sit on the Sanhedrin, a Beis din of 71 was immediately formed. It was formed with the best scholars available, with the public announcement every one of them has agreed to step aside the moment a more deserving candidate should step forward. Lastly, the Nasi has indicated that the Beis din would wait until the best scholars of Eretz Yisroel were represented on the Beis din before beginning to fully function halachically as the Sanhedrin of old."


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The formation of a placeholder Sanhedrin
In October 2004, a group of over few hundred rabbis representing varied communities in Israel undertook a ceremony in Tiberias, where the original Sanhedrin was disbanded, with about one hundred of them at the time having proper Semikhah. This was one year after the re-establishment of Semikhah. A Beth Din of 71 was formed.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The formation of a placeholder Sanhedrin
Rabbi Tzvi Eidan, the author of Asot Mishpat (on the laws of reestablishing the Sanhedrin) was appointed as first interim Nasi. Rabbi Adin Steinzaltz, a noted Talmudic scholar and a well-known Jewish philosopher is the currently elected Nasi. The Sanhedrin's spokesmen said that due to concerns that external pressure would be brought to bear upon individuals not to take part in the establishment of a Sanhedrin, the names of most participants would not be made public.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The acceptance of office of Nasi by Rabbi Steinsaltz
On the other hand, apparently few Sanhedrin members see the nascent Sanhedrin with such an extreme messianism. The acceptance of office of Nasi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz was marked with an apparent change in direction.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The acceptance of office of Nasi by Rabbi Steinsaltz
The newspaper Haaretz reported that in his speech accepting the position of Nasi, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz said that the task of building the Sanhedrin will take some time. He spoke about gradually building up the ancient institution, which would take several generations.


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The acceptance of office of Nasi by Rabbi Steinsaltz
In order to move forward and no longer be defined as "an aborted fetus", to become serious so we can say, "a child was born to us", we need a lot of time. The mere mention of the name Sanhedrin is not a given. It is no longer a matter of a religious council ... It's something that has historical meaning. A basic change, not of one small system, but of fundamental systems. It's no wonder that these things frighten people. There are people who are concerned about what is emerging here. And where is it headed?


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The acceptance of office of Nasi by Rabbi Steinsaltz
After we have made it through this year with no catastrophes occurring, even though there were some foolish comments and chuckling, we will intensify and strengthen our activities. We will do things with an eye toward future generations, not with a stopwatch and an annual calendar. The Jewish calendar is a calendar of thousands of years. A lot of patience and a lot of work are needed. I'd be happy if in another few years these chairs are filled by scholars who are greater than us and we can say: "I kept the chairs warm for you."


2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin, The acceptance of office of Nasi by Rabbi Steinsaltz
Steinsaltz said that the Sanhedrin would not get involved in politics: "I'm not afraid of the Supreme Court, the police or the attorney general. A rabbi is also permitted to engage in public issues, but to do so he has to have all the appropriate material before him, whether he is dealing with the kosher status of a chicken or the disengagement."