The Boston Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees primarily because their owner, Harry Frazee, was facing severe financial difficulties and needed to generate revenue quickly.
The Financial Straits of Harry Frazee
At the time of Babe Ruth's sale in December 1919, Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee was deeply involved in the theater industry. Frazee's theatrical ventures had experienced numerous failures throughout 1918, leaving him in a precarious financial situation. To alleviate his mounting losses and cut costs, speculation arose that he decided to sell off key players from the Red Sox roster, including the team's star, Babe Ruth.
The sale of Babe Ruth was largely seen as a move to address Frazee's personal financial woes rather than a strategic baseball decision. This decision became infamous in baseball history, giving rise to the "Curse of the Bambino" that supposedly afflicted the Red Sox for 86 years following Ruth's departure.
