THE STORY
On December 26, 1919, Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth's contract to the New York Yankees for $100,000 in cash and a $300,000 loan secured by a mortgage on Fenway Park. Ruth had set a single-season home run record with 29 homers in 1919. The sale, announced January 5, 1920, began the Yankees' dominance and the Red Sox's 'Curse of the Bambino,' lasting until 2004.
TEAMS / PEOPLE:
Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees
WHY IT MATTERS
The sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees is considered one of the most consequential transactions in sports history, leading to the Yankees' rise as a dominant force and the Red Sox's 86-year championship drought, known as the 'Curse of the Bambino.'