Curse of the Bambino

The curse of the Bambino is a tongue-in-cheek explanation for the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the sport's championship since 1918 - a period during which hated rivals the New York Yankees have won the World Series 26 times.

In 1914 Joseph Lannin purchased the Red Sox team and also bought the rights to bring Babe Ruth, a.k.a. the Bambino, to Boston. Lannin sold the team in 1917 to Harry Frazee for $200,000. The “astute” Frazee recovered a large part of the purchase price by selling Babe Ruth, considered by many to be the greatest player in baseball history, to the New York Yankees in 1918 for the then-astounding amount of $125,000. The Curse of the Bambino has haunted the Red Sox ever since.

Prior to Ruth leaving Boston, the Red Sox had won five World Series, with Ruth an important part (as a pitcher) of the 1915, 1916, and 1918 championships, whereas the Yankees had never even been in the World Series. The Yankees have since won 26 World Series (15 more than any other team), with Ruth being an essential part of the 1923, 1927, 1928 and 1932 championships.

Since Ruth's departure, the Red Sox have been to the World Series four times, each time losing 3 games to 4. The most dramatic defeat came in 1986 when, in game six, the Red Sox squandered three leads in what would be their deciding victory, only to lose the game in the bottom of the 10th inning on a fielding error by Bill Buckner.

In another episode of the alleged curse, the Red Sox had a 14-game lead over the Yankees on July 18 of the 1978 season. By season's end, however, the teams were tied for first. A one-game playoff took place at Fenway Park on October 2nd. In the 7th inning, Boston led 2-0, but Bucky Dent[?] hit a fly ball over an outfield wall known as the Green Monster with two runners on base to secure the Yankee win.

The curse is such an established part of Boston culture that it has been the title of at least one book and was made into a musical play in 2001.

External links

• Audio of 1978 Bucky Dent homer (http://www.yankeetradition.com/dent.ram)
• Cartoon regarding 1978 Bucky Dent homer (http://www.yankeetradition.com/lanning.jpg)