I would like to thank Leroy Watson for some help on this project.
Feuds have always been an essential part of the entertainment value in sports.
We always cheer for our teams and when our rivals step onto our turf, the home crowd becomes hostile. And when our heroes are the visitors, the opposing fans return the favor.
Some notable feuds over the years have included: the Celtics vs. the Lakers in the NBA, the Bruins and the Canadians in hockey, and the Red River rivalry (Oklahoma and Texas) in NCAA football.
Today, though, I will be looking back at probably the most renowned rivalry in sports: the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.
We have all seen some intense moments between the Red Sox and Yankees. I will look back at the history of this famous feud, how it was ignited, and some substantial moments between these two teams all leading to my conclusion that this feud is the best in sports.
The Red Sox and Yankees' feud has been around for well over 100 years, but the defining moment that made these two teams intense rivals occurred in 1919.
This year is well known to every baseball fan because it is when the Yankees took a large step toward becoming the best in the business.
Through 1918, the Red Sox were looked at as the best team in the league. They won the very first modern World Series in 1903, and added another title in 1912.
Led by Babe Ruth, Boston had won three more World Series Championships—1915-16 and 1918. They were at the top of the heap and there were no signs of slowing down.
Boston fans were ecstatic about the success of the Red Sox and the team’s utter dominance.
Then there were the New York Yankees.
The Yankees were really the team that had always seemed to finish in last place in the American League. During this time period, New York was really looking up to Boston when it came to the cities’ ball clubs.
But then 1919 came, and most of us know the story of the "Curse of the Bambino." Then Red Sox owner Harry Frazee had made a deal with the devil after being pressured into loans for Fenway Park and some of his lavish Broadway plays.
Making matters more complicated, Ruth, knowing his value to the team, had demanded that his salary be doubled to the unheard of figure (at the time) of $20,000 per annum.
Frazee balked, so he dealt the league's best hitter to New York in exchange for $125,00 cash, three notes of $25,000 each plus interest that amounted to $79,500, and a loan of $300,000, with a mortgage on Fenway Park as collateral.
This day late Christmas present, on December 26, 1919, was the beginning of the Yankee Dynasty.
Around the time of this trade, Frazee was still in financial straits, so he got rid of most of his talent. Some who were either sold or traded included: Joe Bush, Sam Jones, Tris Speaker, and finally, manager Ed Barrow, who joined the "Evil Empire's" front office.
From then on, New York reached the World Series seven times with Ruth on their team, and they won four championships while Boston remained stuck at five.
Since the birth of the Dynasty in 1919, New York has gone on to win a total of 26 World Series Championships between the years of 1920 to 2003.
We're going to send you the most entertaining Boston Red Sox articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
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