Where did the name “Red Sox” come from?
Answer Hi Jim, Thanks for writing. Your question is by far the most commonly asked question I receive! Over the years the Boston American League team has had several nicknames: Boston Red Sox (1907-2004) Boston Pilgrims (1903-1906) Boston Somersets (1902) Boston Americans (1901) Two 1901-1902 “unofficial” nicknames were the Plymouth Rocks and the Puritans. The name Red Sox simply evolved over the years as new team owners and baseball writers would attach nicknames to the team in hopes one name would catch on. The Red Sox were actually called the Red Stockings for a while in 1907 but sports writers shortened it to Sox (then a generally accepted alternate spelling of the word: socks). The name Red Stockings came from an old National Association baseball team: the Boston Red Stockings. They played from 1871-1875. Red Stockings had been a popular nickname and kind of got resurrected by the Boston American League club in 1907. Other teams in the old National Association include the Chicago
