1 THE BABE’S LEGEND BEGINS IN BOSTON George Herman Babe Ruth made his major league debut for the Red Sox on July 11 1914 At first Ruth was a pitcher for the Red Sox who occasionally batted as well And he was quite a pitcher Ruth was a key member of the Red Sox’s 1916 World Series team But soon he started to get attention for his hitting too In 1918 he pitched less and began playing in the outfield Doing so allowed him to be in the everyday lineup This was in the so-called dead-ball era Not many home runs were hit Still Ruth led the American League AL with 11 home runs The Red Sox won the World Series again Ruth earned two victories on the mound in the Series By 1919 Ruth played even more in the outfield The left-handed hitter 4 THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO The Red Sox were one of baseball’s best teams in the early 1900s They won five World Series through the 1919 season Then they sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees Soon after the Yankees began a run They won 26 World Series between then and 2003 The Red Sox meanwhile won none It was The Curse of the Bambino belted a then-major-league record 29 home runs Ruth asked for a salary increase But Red Sox owner Harry Frazee decided instead to sell his
Babe Ruth won three World Series with the Red Sox and four more with the Yankees star player The New York Yankees agreed to pay more than 100,000 for the player nicknamed The Bambino Ruth’s big swing would result in even more home runs with the Yankees He led them to four World Series titles For the Red Sox Ruth’s departure began The Curse of the Bambino 5 89 Pitching wins Babe Ruth earned with the Red Sox against 46 losses He had an earned-run average ERA of 2 19 with Boston Ruth won two of his 12 AL home run titles while in Boston When he retired Ruth held the single-season 60 in 1927 and career 714 records for home runs
2 6 THE CURSE ENDS 2004 SOX WIN IT ALL It looked as if The Curse of the It looked as if The Curse of the Bambino would continue in 2004 Bambino would continue in 2004 The Red Sox met the New York The Red Sox met the New York Yankees in that year’s AL playoffs Yankees in that year’s AL playoffs The winner would go to the World The winner would go to the World Series But the Yankees won the Series But the Yankees won the first three games They needed just first three games They needed just one more one more Game 4 was in Boston The Yankees Game 4 was in Boston The Yankees led 4 3 going into the bottom of led 4 3 going into the bottom of the ninth Superstar closer Mariano the ninth Superstar closer Mariano Rivera came in to close out the Rivera came in to close out the game But pinch runner Dave game But pinch runner Dave Roberts stole second base Then Bill Roberts stole second base Then Bill Mueller drove him in to tie the game Mueller drove him in to tie the game Later in the bottom of the 12th Later in the bottom of the 12th David Ortiz’s two-run homer gave David Ortiz’s two-run homer gave Boston a 6 4 win Ortiz had the game winning hit in Game 5 too His single gave the Red Sox The Red Sox The Red Sox The Red Sox celebrate after celebrate after celebrate after celebrate after beating the beating the beating the Cardinals to win the Cardinals to win the Cardinals to win the Cardinals to win the 2004 World Series 2004 World Series 2004 World Series 2004 World Series
Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling pitched against the Yankees in Game 6 despite having three stitches in his injured ankle With blood on his sock he led Boston to a 4 2 win a 5 4 win in 14 innings Then the Red Sox won Game 6 and Game 7 too With the Yankees out of the way the World Series was a breeze Boston swept the St Louis Cardinals in four games For the first time since 1918 the Red Sox were World Series champs The curse was over I’m so proud of being a part of the greatest Red Sox team in history pitcher Curt Schilling said 7 0 Major league teams that came back to win a playoff series after losing the first three games until the Red Sox did it in 2004 The 2004 Red Sox finished 98 64 and second in the AL East Boston qualified for the playoffs as the AL wild card team Manny Ramirez was named World Series Most Valuable Player MVP
