The biggest superstition or ritual for each MLB team
By Brad Weiss
Boston Red Sox: The Curse of the Bambino
The Boston Red Sox were the dominant force in baseball back in the late 1910s, winning the World Series in 1915, 1916, and 1918 the last two with the help of a certain legendary player. During his time with the Red Sox, Babe Ruth was an incredible force on the mound and at the plate, though nobody could have seen what kind of player he would become.
To finance a play called, “No, No, Nanette,” Red Sox owner and theater produce Henry Frazee sold Ruth to the New York Yankees in January 1920, and the trajectory of the two franchises changed for the next 86 years. The Yankees became the dominant force in baseball, led by Ruth, and would go on to win 26 championship before the Red Sox won another one.
In fact, the Red Sox did make it to the World Series four times in that span, though they lost in seven games in each series, furthering the superstition that the sale of Ruth, known as the “Curse of the Bambino,” was a legitimate hex. Was it is an incredible coincidence, or were the Red Sox actually cursed?
Prior to them winning their first World Series since 1918 in 2004, the Red Sox came close to winning another title, though they always ultimately fell short. The other issue is the fact that the Yankees became so dominant, and were also Boston’s biggest rival. In the history of Major League Baseball, few things are more well-known than this curse on the Red Sox organization.