Curse of the Bambino

The Curse of the Bambino (1918 – 2004) was an urban myth or scapegoat cited as a reason for the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series for 86 years after they sold Babe Ruth, sometimes called The Bambino, to the New York Yankees. The flip side of the "curse" was New York's success—after the sale, the once-lackluster Yankees became one of the most successful franchises in North American professional sports. While some fans took the superstition of the Curse seriously, many others used the expression in a tongue-in-cheek manner.

The lore

Although the title drought dates back to 1918, the sale of Ruth to the Yankees was completed January 3, 1920. In standard "curse" lore, Red Sox owner and theatrical producer Harry Frazee used the proceeds from the sale to finance the production of a Broadway musical, usually specified as No, No, Nanette. In fact, Frazee backed many productions before and after Ruth's sale, and although it is the musical most associated with Frazee, No, No, Nanette did not see its first performance until five years after the Ruth sale. Indeed, Frazee sold the Red Sox in 1923, two years before No, No, Nanette opened. In addition, Ruth was not the only loss to the Yankees at that time. In 1921, Red Sox manager Ed Barrow left to take over as GM of the Yankees. Other players were sold or traded as well.

Related Topics:
1918 - January 3 - 1920 - Harry Frazee - Broadway musical - No, No, Nanette - 1921 - Ed Barrow

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Prior to Ruth leaving Boston, the Red Sox had won five World Series, with Ruth as pitcher in the 1915, 1916, and 1918 teams, whereas the Yankees hadn't been in the World Series. After the sale, the Yankees came to win 26 World Series by the start of the 2004 season, while the Red Sox had been to the Series only four times - and lost each time in seven games.

Related Topics:
Boston - World Series - 1915 - 1916 - 1918 - 2004

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The Yankees' success rate since the sale of Ruth is stunning: They have won 17 more World Series than the second-most-successful teams, the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals, who both won 9 championships. Ruth, by then more known for his batting than for his pitching, was a high profile part of the 1923, 1927, 1928 and 1932 titles. And even when not winning American League pennants and/or World Series championships, the Yankees have been a model of consistency, finishing in the first division for a record 39 consecutive years—from 1926 through 1964, all inclusive—and suffering only two last-place finishes since the sale (in 1966 and again in 1990).

Related Topics:
Oakland Athletics - St. Louis Cardinals - 1923 - 1927 - 1928 - 1932 - First division - 1926 - 1964 - 1966 - 1990

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