Apr 9th 2008 12:25PM by Josh Alper

There’s little reason to believe that the feud between the Yankees and Red Sox will ever come to an end. The enmity began with Babe Ruth has flowed through dueling DiMaggios, the Summer of ‘49, Bucky Dent, Aaron Boone, bloody socks and so much more. Now it seems that even our avian friends have been brought into the battle.

For years the Yankees have commemorated big days at the stadium by having a bald eagle named Challenger fly from center field to home plate. The Red Sox have never had an answer to that show of airborne strength. Until now, that is.

You’ll recall, of course, a hawk attacking a middle-school girl named Alexa Rodriguez at Fenway Park during a field trip a while back. Well, said hawk, red-tailed as if there were any doubt, has made itself at home at the ballyard and made an appearance at the home opener yesterday.

I was watching the game and, rather than looking for fans with feminine versions of Yankee names to attack, the hawk was feasting on a Fenway rat as it circled above the stands. The has a fine gallery of the fly-by. The crowd seemed quite delighted by its appearance. The big question is what do we call the new Red Sox mascot? Curt Schill-wing? Weak, I know, but let’s hear some options.