How the Red Sox Became the Red Sox

Called the Somersets when they began operating in 1901, because Charles W. Somers was their owner. Other nicknames, prior to 1907, were the Puritans and the Plymouth Rocks. Before Red Sox became the official title, some scribes called the club the Speed Boys.

Red stockings had been part of the equipment of all Boston National League teams up to 1907, but Fred Tenney, manager in that year, told Peter F. Kelly, the Boston Journal's baseball writer, he would abandon the red stockings tradition in favor of white stockings because of the danger that colored stockings might cause leg injuries to become infected.

Kelley wrote a story condemning Tenney for parting with the Boston National League club's tradition. The next day, John Irving Taylor, Boston American League club president, told the Boston Journal writer: "Here's a scoop for you. I am going to grab the name Red Sox, and the Boston American League club will wear red stockings."