The Origins of the Curse
The “Curse of the Bambino” began in 1919, when the Boston Red Sox shocked the baseball world by selling their star slugger, Babe Ruth, to the New York Yankees. Team owner Harry Frazee, short on cash, made the move partly to finance his Broadway productions.
The Red Sox had been baseball’s first dynasty, winning five World Series titles between 1903 and 1918. After Ruth left, their dominance vanished. Meanwhile, the Yankees built a powerhouse, winning championship after championship.
Decades of Heartbreak
For the next 86 years, the Red Sox became famous for heartbreak and near-misses:
- 1946: Lost Game 7 of the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals.
- 1967: “The Impossible Dream” season ended with another Game 7 loss to the Cardinals.
- 1975: Carlton Fisk’s legendary walk-off home run in Game 6 couldn’t prevent a loss to the Cincinnati Reds in Game 7.
- 1986: Bill Buckner’s infamous error in Game 6 of the World Series against the Mets symbolized Boston’s misery.
Each collapse only deepened the belief that the Red Sox were cursed.
Breaking the Curse in 2004
The curse finally ended in 2004. In the American League Championship Series, Boston trailed the Yankees three games to none, but mounted an unprecedented comeback to win the series 4–3. They then swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, clinching their first title since 1918.
This historic run erased 86 years of frustration and changed the course of Red Sox history forever.
Legacy of the Curse
Since breaking the curse, the Red Sox have become one of baseball’s most successful franchises of the 21st century, winning additional championships in 2007, 2013, and 2018.
The Curse of the Bambino remains one of the most legendary stories in sports — a reminder of how myth and history can shape generations of fans.