Sox Yankees
The Babe Ruth Story - The Fierce Rivalry Of The Red Sox And The Yankees
Near the end of the 1919 season, Harry Frazee, then owner of the Boston Red Sox, decided to sell a group of his star players to the New York Yankees. Among them was George Herman Ruth, also known affectionately as "Babe". Ruth's career reflects the change in strategy and the shift in dominance from pitching to hitting at this time.
Babe Ruth had a reputation for being one of the fiercest "leftys" to ever take the mound. It was soon discovered that he wasn't too bad with a bat either, and Ruth became the most celebrated and successful player in Boston. He was practically an institution. When many Bostonians awoke on January 6, 1920, and opened their morning newspapers, they mourned the fact that an icon had been sold to New York. The Babe was gone.
Boston did not seem to be able to recover from this catastrophe until the 2004 World Series, when the "Curse of the Bambino" was finally put to rest after 86 years. From 1903, when the Red Sox were established, until 1920, the club had appeared in five World Series, and won every one of them.
In the 1916 and 1918 World Series, Babe Ruth set a record, not for hitting home runs, but for pitching when he notched a 0.87 ERA while pitching 29 and 2/3rds scoreless innings. This record for shutout innings would stand for 43 years. In 1919, Ruth hit 29 home runs, the most ever by any player at the time. Unfortunately, the Red Sox finished in sixth place that season. For a club accustomed to tremendous success, this was a disaster.
Frazee responded by selling players, Ruth included, that started a rebuilding period in Boston. The strategy did not work and Boston finished in last place nine out of the next eighteen seasons. They wouldn't win another pennant until 1948.
When Ruth arrived in New York, the Yankees had never won the American League pennant, let alone been to a World Series. They won their first pennant in 1921, and then won their first World Series in 1923. In 1920, the Babe hit 54 home runs, a mind-boggling number given that baseball was just coming out of its Dead Ball Era. Yes, this was a new era, an exciting one with tremendous offense and tremendous flamboyance on and off the diamond.
Ruth hammered 59 homers the following year (1921), and was showcased in the World Series. Babe Ruth's 1921 season was arguably the best batting year of any player ever. He played in 152 games and hit .378, collecting 204 hits, 44 doubles, 16 triples, 59 home runs, 177 runs scored, 171 RBIs, 144 walks, 119 extra base hits (a record that still stands), an .846 slugging average, and 457 total bases (another standing record).
From 1923- 1931, Ruth led the league in homers each season, except for one. In 1927, he had his best year for round trippers, knocking 60, a record that would stand for 34 years. Some still say to this day that the 1927 Yankees' "Murderers Row" was the best offensive team to ever play the game of baseball.
The sheer numbers for the Yankees in 1927 make their own argument. The Curse of the Bambino may have been a nightmare for Boston Red Sox fans, but for the rest of the baseball world, Ruth was the messiah of a very worried and downtrodden sport. The 1919 White Sox (eight of them) had just thrown the World Series, causing the integrity of the game to be questioned by a disenchanted public.
Ruth lived with great enthusiasm, and he seemed to immediately become a living legend after arriving at the media capital of the world. When he started producing monstrous offensive firepower, baseball was suddenly exciting again, and the fans that had turned away in light of the White Sox gambling scandal started returning to the ballparks. He was "bigger than life," and he was the drum major that marched America into "the Roaring Twenties."
He was a media magnet and hype machine. Some sports reporters surmised that in one season with the Yankees the Sultan of Swat "might" slug more than his single season record of 29 homers. When Ruth destroyed the home run records year after year, Yankee fans were overjoyed. When he continued to raise the expectations of fans everywhere, baseball had been resurrected from the depths of despair and corruption to a bright and shining era of hope and enthusiasm.
About the Author
By FR Penn sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com/ . StubHub sells sports tickets, baseball tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world. Please link to this site when using this article.
 |
 Red Sox Yankees tickets 7 8 Fenway Park Sunday Game $149.00 Time Remaining: 7d 2h 25m Buy It Now for only: $149.00 |
 4 Red Sox v Yankees 9 13 2012 Infield Section 11 Row 13 seats 1 4 $500.00 Time Remaining: 3h 7m Buy It Now for only: $550.00 |
 NY Yankees vs Boston Red Sox Tickets 10 03 12 Two 2 Tickets $79.00 Time Remaining: 3h 19m |
 NY Yankees vs Boston Red Sox Tickets 10 03 12 Two 2 Tickets $79.00 Time Remaining: 3h 19m |
 Red Sox Yankees tickets 7 8 Fenway Park Sunday Game $149.00 Time Remaining: 7d 2h 24m Buy It Now for only: $149.00 |
 NY Yankees vs Boston Red Sox Tickets 10 03 12 Three 3 Tickets $99.00 Time Remaining: 3h 20m |
 2 Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 07 8 12 Fenway Park 800pm $140.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 6h 26m |
 Red Sox Yankees tickets 7 8 Fenway Park Sunday Game $149.00 Time Remaining: 7d 2h 24m Buy It Now for only: $149.00 |
 Red Sox vs Yankees Section 31 Row CC 7 8 12 100th anniversary of Fenway Park $260.00 Time Remaining: 6h 35m |
 Yankees vs White Sox 7 1 2012 $95.00 Time Remaining: 18h 57m Buy It Now for only: $125.00 |
 Red Sox Yankees tickets 7 8 1st base Fenway Sunday Game $219.00 Time Remaining: 6d 17h 43m Buy It Now for only: $219.00 |
 WOW ROW 4 Yankees Boston Red Sox 8 18 Terrace Level Great View 2 Tickets $99.00 Time Remaining: 20h 3m Buy It Now for only: $190.00 |
 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 07 07 12 Boston $40.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 22h 1m |
 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 07 07 12 Boston Section 32 $280.00 Time Remaining: 22h 19m |
 Red Sox Yankees tickets 7 8 Fenway Park Sunday Game $149.00 Time Remaining: 6d 17h 43m Buy It Now for only: $149.00 |
 2 TICKETS Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees yankees stadium Sun Jul 29 $199.00 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 47m Buy It Now for only: $219.00 |
 2 TICKETS Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees yankees stadium Sun Aug 19 $199.00 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 48m Buy It Now for only: $219.00 |
 2 Tickets Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees 7 7 12 Pavilion 07 07 12 $179.00 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 1m Buy It Now for only: $179.00 |
 4 RED SOX VS NEW YORK YANKEES TICKETS SATURDAY 7 7 $280.00 (11 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 2h 49m |
 Fenway Park 100th Anniversary Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Ticket Stub $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 50m |
 CHICAGO WHITE SOX NY NEW YORK YANKEES 2 TICKETS 6 28 $19.99 Time Remaining: 4d 21h 4m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 |
 Fenway Park 100th Anniversary Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Ticket Stub $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 54m |
 Fenway Park 100th Anniversary Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Ticket Stub $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 55m |
 Fenway Park 100th Anniversary Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Ticket Stub $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 56m |
 2 Red Sox vs Yankees Tickets 7 7 Yankees Bullpen near Aisle 1235 start $300.00 Time Remaining: 4d 20h 26m Buy It Now for only: $300.00 |
 Fenway Park 100th Anniversary Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Ticket Stub $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 57m |
 Fenway Park 100th Anniversary Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Ticket Stub $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 58m |
 2 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 7 27 115 26 $510.00 Time Remaining: 23d 3h 48m Buy It Now for only: $510.00 |
 Fenway Park 100th Anniversary Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Ticket Stub $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 58m |
 Fenway Park 100th Anniversary Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Ticket Stub $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 6h 7m |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 8 18 130 17 $544.00 Time Remaining: 29d 4h 7m Buy It Now for only: $544.00 |
 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 07 06 12 Boston $175.00 Time Remaining: 1d 6h 38m Buy It Now for only: $500.00 |
 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 09 13 12 Boston 4 Tickets $300.00 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 13m Buy It Now for only: $350.00 |
 2 Boston Red Sox v Detroit Tigers Tickets May 28 5 28 yankees angels $65.00 Time Remaining: 1d 23h 38m Buy It Now for only: $120.00 |
 4 Tickets Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees 07 08 12 RF Roof Box $510.00 Time Remaining: 6d 1h 5m Buy It Now for only: $510.00 |
 2 Boston Red Sox v Detroit Tigers Tickets May 29 5 29 yankees angels $65.00 Time Remaining: 1d 23h 38m Buy It Now for only: $120.00 |
 2 Boston Red Sox v Detroit Tigers Tickets May 30 5 30 yankees angels $65.00 Time Remaining: 1d 23h 39m Buy It Now for only: $120.00 |
 4 NEW YORK YANKEES v CHICAGO WHITE SOX TICKETS YANKEE STADIUM Sat 6 30 2012 $81.56 Time Remaining: 7d 3h 43m Buy It Now for only: $81.56 |
 2 Boston Red Sox v Detroit Tigers Tickets May 31 5 31 yankees angels $65.00 Time Remaining: 1d 23h 40m Buy It Now for only: $120.00 |
 4 Infield Grandstand Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 07 07 12 Fenway $700.00 Time Remaining: 2d 39m |
 4 NEW YORK YANKEES v BOSTON RED SOX TICKETS YANKEE STADIUM Sun 7 29 2012 $196.27 Time Remaining: 5d 5h 13m Buy It Now for only: $196.27 |
 NY Yankees vs Chicago White Sox Friday June 29th 2012 2 Tickets 705 PM $40.00 Time Remaining: 2d 1h 18m Buy It Now for only: $60.00 |
 Entire Row 4 Field Tickets NY Yankees vs Boston Red Sox 7 29 12 Section 135 $408.00 Time Remaining: 2d 1h 43m |
 4 Right Field GS TIX Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 9 11 12 Boston $295.00 Time Remaining: 2d 1h 48m Buy It Now for only: $325.00 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 8 19 130 17 $704.00 Time Remaining: 29d 4h 7m Buy It Now for only: $704.00 |
 New York Yankees vs Chicago White Sox Tickets 07 01 12 Bronx Old Timers Day $400.00 Time Remaining: 2d 4h 5m Buy It Now for only: $500.00 |
 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 07 07 12 Boston2 $300.00 Time Remaining: 2d 4h 20m |
 2 BOSTON RED SOX v NEW YORK YANKEES TICKETS FENWAY Sat 7 7 2012 1235pm $234.00 Time Remaining: 5d 5h 33m Buy It Now for only: $234.00 |
 4 RED SOX vs YANKEES TICKETS SATURDAY 7 7 12 FENWAY PARK RIGHT ROOF 41 ROW A $649.00 Time Remaining: 2d 5h 28m Buy It Now for only: $849.00 |
 2 New York Yankees Tickets 5 Game Package Includes Boston Red Sox 10 2 12 $220.00 Time Remaining: 2d 8h 1m Buy It Now for only: $275.00 |
 2 Chicago White Sox PREMIUM Upper Box Tickets vs New York Yankees 8 20 $150.00 Time Remaining: 3d 2h 21m Buy It Now for only: $150.00 |
 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 7 7 2012 Boston Seats 1 2 Aisle $175.00 Time Remaining: 2d 15h 58m |
 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 07 07 12 Boston 2 TICKETS $700.00 Time Remaining: 2d 18h 18m Buy It Now for only: $899.00 |
 2 NY Yankees vs White Sox Tix 7 1 12 Bronx Old Timers Day Field Level $99.99 Time Remaining: 3d 2h 50m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 8 19 216 17 $864.00 Time Remaining: 29d 4h 7m Buy It Now for only: $864.00 |
 New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox Tickets 08 17 12 Bronx $239.99 Time Remaining: 3d 3h 7m |
 New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox Tickets 08 19 12 Bronx $239.99 Time Remaining: 3d 3h 7m |
 Rain out April 22 Yankee Red Sox July 7 Make up Tickets $125.00 Time Remaining: 8d 7h Buy It Now for only: $125.00 |
 Chicago White Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 6 30 2012 $50.00 Time Remaining: 3d 3h 29m Buy It Now for only: $65.00 |
 Chicago White Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 08 21 12 Chicago $190.00 Time Remaining: 3d 3h 31m |
 2 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 8 19 107 17 $206.00 Time Remaining: 29d 4h 6m Buy It Now for only: $206.00 |
 Chicago White Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 08 21 12 Chicago $190.00 Time Remaining: 3d 3h 32m |
 2 GS Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 7 8 $175.00 Time Remaining: 3d 3h 37m Buy It Now for only: $195.00 |
 2 Boston Red Sox vs Yankees Tickets 7 7 12 Loge Box Third Base Aisle Seats $499.99 Time Remaining: 3d 3h 46m |
 1 8 Tickets Chicago White Sox Yankees 8 22 12 US Cellular Field Baseball $130.90 Time Remaining: 29d 9h 20m Buy It Now for only: $130.90 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Chicago White Sox 6 29 12 $112.00 Time Remaining: 3d 5h 26m Buy It Now for only: $125.00 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Chicago White Sox 6 28 12 $60.00 Time Remaining: 3d 5h 28m Buy It Now for only: $70.00 |
 1 8 Tickets Chicago White Sox Yankees 8 22 12 US Cellular Field Baseball $240.90 Time Remaining: 29d 9h 20m Buy It Now for only: $240.90 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Chicago White Sox 6 30 12 $112.00 Time Remaining: 3d 5h 30m Buy It Now for only: $125.00 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox 7 29 12 $250.00 Time Remaining: 3d 5h 36m Buy It Now for only: $275.00 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 8 17 130 17 $788.00 Time Remaining: 29d 4h 7m Buy It Now for only: $788.00 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox 7 27 12 $250.00 Time Remaining: 3d 5h 36m Buy It Now for only: $275.00 |
 Yankees vs Red Sox on Sunday 8 19 2 Great Seats Behind Home Plate $150.00 Time Remaining: 3d 6h 32m Buy It Now for only: $200.00 |
 Yankees vs Red Sox on Sunday 8 19 Excellent Aisle Pair Sect 233B $205.00 Time Remaining: 3d 6h 34m Buy It Now for only: $240.00 |
 2 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 8 18 107 17 $242.00 Time Remaining: 29d 4h 7m Buy It Now for only: $242.00 |
 Yankees vs Red Sox on Sunday 8 19 2 Great Seats Row 2 in Terrace Outfield $180.00 Time Remaining: 3d 6h 35m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 Yankees vs Boston Red Sox on Friday Night 8 17 Great Pair in Sect 232B $200.00 Time Remaining: 3d 6h 36m Buy It Now for only: $240.00 |
 2 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 8 17 107 17 $218.00 Time Remaining: 29d 4h 7m Buy It Now for only: $218.00 |
 Yankees vs Boston Red Sox on Friday Night 7 27 Great Aisle Pair Main Level $200.00 Time Remaining: 3d 6h 39m Buy It Now for only: $235.00 |
 Yankees vs Red Sox on Sunday 7 29 2 Great Seats Behind Home Plate $140.00 Time Remaining: 3d 6h 41m Buy It Now for only: $180.00 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 8 17 216 17 $816.00 Time Remaining: 29d 4h 7m Buy It Now for only: $816.00 |
 New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox Tickets 07 28 12 Bronx $170.00 Time Remaining: 3d 14h 23m Buy It Now for only: $230.00 |
 Rain Out April 22 Yankees Red Sox Ticket for July 7 $10.00 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 15h 51m |
 RED SOX vs YANKEES Tickets 2 7 6 Fenway Boston GREEN MONSTER SRO $299.00 Time Remaining: 3d 16h 59m Buy It Now for only: $329.00 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees vs Red Sox 8 18 216 17 $992.00 Time Remaining: 29d 4h 7m Buy It Now for only: $992.00 |
 Yankees Vs Red Sox $46.00 Time Remaining: 3d 20h 36m |
 Red Sox NY Yankees Tickets 7 07 12 1235 Make up for 4 22s game Sec 16 Row 9 $240.00 Time Remaining: 3d 23h 4m Buy It Now for only: $300.00 |
 2 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Tickets 07 06 12 Third Base Pavilion SRO $129.99 Time Remaining: 3d 5h 11m Buy It Now for only: $129.99 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees Monday 10 1 12 vs Boston Red Sox $350.00 Time Remaining: 4d 29m Buy It Now for only: $385.00 |
 4 Tickets New York Yankees Tuesday 10 2 12 vs Boston Red Sox $350.00 Time Remaining: 4d 29m Buy It Now for only: $385.00 |