Turn Back The Clock: December 26th, 1919-The Sale of the Century

It’s not very often in the history of a franchise as old as the New York Yankees, or the Boston Red Sox for that matter, that you can point to one specific point in time, and say “That was it.” For the history of the game of baseball, today, 95 years ago, that moment happened. A dynasty was in motion in Beantown, as the Red Sox won a handful of World Series titles, and weren’t looking to slow down any time soon. That was, until the team owner, Harry Frazee, figured out he was in over his head financially, and was cash-strapped to continue his budding dynasty intact. Enter Colonel Jacob Ruppert and the New York Yankees, a team that was never near the top of the junior circuit, and was never a real threat to Boston or their elite status as the American’s League’s premier team.

More from Yankees News

• Yankees make upside play, sign former Rangers top prospect outfielder
• Michael Kay’s Anthony Volpe story will get Yankees fans amped for Opening Day
• No, Yankees should not acquire Trevor Bauer for 2023
• Yankees’ Marwin González replaces Red Sox LF in Japan in logical next step
• Blue Jays overpaying for Yankees trade target shows they’re trying too hard

No, the Yankees didn’t matter all that much until December 26th, 1919. Although the deal wasn’t finalized until January of 1920, the foundation of the deal had been agreed to in principal. There is started. World Series titles in 1923, 1927, 1928, and 1932. The first four on his watch, the rest came, well, much easier than they did for the Red Sox. After 1918, it wasn’t until, as we all know by now, until 2004. He was long gone as were generations of Boston Red Sox fans. The “Curse of the Bambino” was in full effect.

95 years ago, the Yankees acquired Babe Ruth. The Red Sox sold their franchise player for peanuts, even by today’s standards. 27 World Series titles since that sale, 714 home runs, and countless big league records. He was the greatest hitter of his generation, and many still consider him the greatest hitter of all-time. He was credited with saving the game on the heels of the Black Sox scandal of 1919. He gave the Yankees swagger, and they haven’t stopped since. Hot dogs, alcohol and womanizing, not steroids, amphetamines, and the like to “help” his performance.

He is the greatest icon not only for the history of the Yankees, but in the history of the GAME. The sale occurred almost a century ago, and his name is not far off the lips of any fan, sportswriter, or media member that discusses the game of baseball. He did it bigger, better, and more often than anyone prior or since. One transaction to top all transactions. No sale of a player or a trade involving players was ever bigger, perhaps in the history of sports, period.

Today’s Turn Back The Clock remembers December 26th, 1919. The day the Babe became a Yankee!