<img src="http://graphics.boston.com/sports/top100/images/ruth.jpg">
It could be argued that the Bambino is the most influential New England athlete of the century just because of what happened here after he left. Since the Babe was sold to the Yankees after the 1919 season, the world championship scorecard reads: Yankees 25, Red Sox 0.
But the Babe did enough for the Red Sox to earn a ranking of 17 on the Globe list. He was established as the finest pitcher and hitter of his time before he left Fenway. He was a member of three world champion Red Sox teams, pitched 29 consecutive scoreless innings in World Series play (a record later broken by Whitey Ford), and set the single-season home run record (29 in 1919), which would later be broken by himself, Roger Maris, and Mark McGwire
EDIT***
The Sox slumped to sixth place in 1919, but not because of Ruth. He was a one-man show, smashing a major league-record 29 homers with a slugging percentage of .657. He knocked in 114 of Boston's 565 runs and scored 103 runs. On the mound, he went 9-7 in 15 starts. He hit his 29th homer on Sept. 27, 1919 (the day Johnny Pesky was born in Portland, Ore.), then bolted the team to play in a paid exhibition game while the Sox finished their season Sept. 28.
Three months later, Frazee sold him to the Yankees for $125,000 and a $300,000 mortage on Fenway Park.
Frazee said, ''No other club could afford to give the amount the Yankees have paid for him, and I do not mind saying I think they are taking a gamble.''
EDIT***
<img src="http://members.aol.com/vikorynotvengnce/images/onaarmy.gif">
<A HREF="http://www.onaarmy.cjb.net">Join The O&A Army!!</A> Please, help us save Black Earl.
Yes, he is hung like a horse. One female porn star describes having sex with Johneewadd as like giving birth.
This message was edited by johneewadd on 2-8-03 @ 2:16 AM