The relationship between Aaron Boone and Dave Roberts before the World Series showdown

LOS ANGELES – When Aaron Boone landed in Los Angeles, he texted Dave Roberts.

It was a Yankees emoji.

Roberts responded with a laugh, although he had something completely different in mind.

“I thought about sending him another one finger emoji, but I didn’t,” he said with a laugh.

It was all a lot of fun.

The two World Series managers go way back, to the days when they both played college baseball, Boone at USC and Roberts at UCLA.

They were rivals.

Boone was USC's third baseman from 1992 to 1994, while Roberts was also an outfielder at UCLA.

“Yeah, I can see 'Doc' and his little slap swing where he hit the ball the other way,” Boone recalled before Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night. “He was a good player, someone I got to know a little bit at that point and just played against him because he was such a great guy. But I remember him well, the Bruins' leadoff hitter and left fielder. Fun times, fun days.”

According to Roberts, the two weren't necessarily close at the time.

“We weren’t friends,” the Dodgers manager said. “I don't think he was all that important to me at that point, and I don't think he cared all that much about me either. I remember them having the upper hand over us at the time, which probably increased my dislike of him and the Trojans. But he was always a great ballplayer.”

They followed similar paths, both being drafted in 1994, Boone in the third round by the Reds, Roberts in the 28th by the Tigers.

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Both had their October moment as players.

Boone hit the walk-off home run against the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS that sent the Yankees to the World Series.

The following year, Roberts' clutch stolen base sparked the Red Sox's comeback from a 3-0 ALCS deficit to the Yankees.

They met through some mutual friends during a golf outing a few years ago.

Their relationship has grown since then.

Now they have their teams on the sport's biggest stage: Boone wants to lead the Yankees to their first title in 15 years and Roberts hopes to win his second crown.

“I think it's really cool that we played against each other in college as college rivals, and now you can just see that rivalry with the Dodgers and the Yankees,” Roberts said. “It's something very special. It goes way back and now we're doing it against each other again. It’s a pretty good story.”