On December 26, 1919, a deal was finalized that would permanently change baseball history and give rise to one of the most famous superstitions in sports: the Curse of the Bambino. Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold the team’s star player, George Herman “Babe” Ruth, to the New York Yankees for $100,000 in cash and a $300,000 loan secured by Fenway Park. This transaction not only set the stage for the Yankees to become a baseball powerhouse but also plunged the Red Sox into decades of frustration, heartbreak, and missed opportunities.
At the time of the sale, Babe Ruth was already one of baseball’s most electrifying figures. He had joined the Red Sox in 1914 as a talented left-handed pitcher and quickly established himself as one of the sport’s greatest arms, playing key roles in Boston’s 1915, 1916, and 1918 World Series championships. Yet it was Ruth’s ability as a hitter that would define his legacy. By 1919, he had transitioned into a full-time batter, setting a single-season home run record with 29 homers and showcasing power rarely seen in the game.
Despite Ruth’s incredible talent and popularity, Harry Frazee faced significant financial troubles. A theater producer by profession, Frazee was deeply invested in his Broadway productions, particularly “No, No, Nanette.” Selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees wasn’t a baseball decision—it was a financial necessity. But for Red Sox fans, it felt like a profound betrayal, one that would haunt the franchise for generations.
For the Yankees, the acquisition of Babe Ruth was nothing short of transformative. Ruth’s arrival in New York in 1920 signaled the beginning of a golden era for the team. He became baseball’s first superstar, captivating audiences with his towering home runs and magnetic personality. Over the next 15 seasons, Ruth led the Yankees to four World Series titles and set records that seemed almost mythical, including his 60-home-run season in 1927.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox experienced a dramatic decline. After securing five World Series titles between 1903 and 1918, the team entered an 86-year championship drought. Over the decades, Red Sox fans endured agonizing defeats and near-misses, including heartbreaks in 1946, 1967, 1975, and 1986. Each loss seemed to reinforce the legend of the Curse of the Bambino, a belief that the franchise was doomed by the decision to sell Babe Ruth.
The curse became more than just a superstition—it became part of the team’s identity. Moments like Bill Buckner’s costly error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series and Aaron Boone’s walk-off home run in the 2003 ALCS were seen as undeniable proof of the curse’s grip on the team. But in 2004, everything changed. The Red Sox pulled off a historic comeback against the Yankees in the ALCS and went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. After 86 years of waiting, the curse was finally broken.
