I was born in 1881. Though of Scottish descent, I never publicly corrected the journalists who often printed I was Jewish, which some later found very ironic ideed. On the morning of January 6th, 1920, a statement I had released the day before was printed in newspapers all over the country. I had sold George "Babe" Ruth, the pride of Boston, to the New York Yankees. "The Bambino" was leaving town.

I was a theatrical producer with growing Broadway credentials when I bought the Red Sox, then known as the Pilgrims, for $400,000 in 1917. The year before the team had won their fourth World Series title in seven years, and in the history of the fifteen Series held, the Sox had won five of them. In their 1916 and 1918 appearances, Babe Ruth had started three games and won each of them, boasting an earned-run average of 0.87 during that time while throwing an astonishing 29 2/3 shut-out innings in a row; in 1919, he had belted out 29 home runs, an all-time record then. After the 1918 Series win, Ruth demanded $10,000, three thousand more than the previous year. I was furious, and hollered, "For $10,000 I'd expect at least John Barrymore!" We shook hands on a 3-year deal worth $30,000, but I knew in my heart it wouldn't happen.

Ruth started using his leverage as a premium player in 1919, walking out twice during the season feeling he was worth more than his ten thousand annually. My theatre's main office was just two blocks from the Yankee's office, and Colonel Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston, co-owner of New York's team, was a regular drinking buddy. He saw my need to compensate for dwindling Broadway tickets as World War I dragged on. The tension mounted between Ruth and I that winter, and I sold him to the Yankees in January for $125,000, which was double any previous price for a player, as well as a $300,000 loan. When I told Ed Barrow, my team's manager, the news on December 28th, he sadly mumbled, "You ought to know you're making a mistake."

When it was found in 1920 that the Chicago White Sox had thrown the 1919 World Series, Babe Ruth was baseball's larger-than-life savior. He hit 54 home runs that year for the Yankees, and led the league in long shots eight of nine years starting in 1923, peaking at 60 in 1927. On October 15th, 1923, the New York Yankees won their first World Series in the brand new Yankee Stadium, eventually known as "The House That Ruth Built". On October 27th, 1999, the Yankees closed out the century by winning their 25th Series title, firmly establishing themselves as professional sport's elite franchise.

I admit "The Curse of the Bambino" is a bit scary even for a non-believer in Destiny like myself. Many Bostonians were glad I sold the last-place Red Sox for $1.25 million in 1923, but their luck wasn't about to change anytime soon. From 1920 to 1938, the team placed last in their division nine times and didn't win a pennant again until 1946. They lost the World Series that year, as well as three other appearances in 1967, 1975, and 1986, each time in seven games. In every case, the momentum seemed to be in their favour only to fade after bad umpire calls or uncanny blunders by players. Overlooked, however, are the many ill decisions by Red Sox management over the years; Danny Cater traded to the Yanks in '72, Curt Shilling and Brady Anderson traded in '88, and Jeff Bagwell sold from their Double-A farm team in '90. Every decision Boston made for almost eighty years seemed to end in disappointment.

One night before I sold the Red Sox, I caught a cab with a young lady-friend and told the driver to take us to Fenway Park. The cabbie overheard me boasting about owning the team in my attempt to impress her, and asked if I really owned the Sox. I proudly said I did, and he flattened me with one punch. The woman caught a different cab home. The only thing I can say in defense of the team's demise is that every decision I made was a business move, and I was never influenced by superstition or karma. "While Ruth without question is the greatest hitter that the game has seen," I wrote in a 1,500-word statement, "he is likewise one of the most inconsiderate men that ever wore a baseball uniform." And I stick by that, even now.

On June 4th, 1929, I died of Bright's Disease, a form of kidney failure. I stood at the edge of Kevin Costner's corn field and watched the game's greats take the diamond; they thought I would jinx them if I stepped on the field. Today, I stand on the left-field foul line anxiously awaiting Curt Shilling to start off Game 1 of the 2004 ALCS between the Yanks and the Sox in Yankee Stadium. No one in the packed stands can see me, but if they could their eyes would see a desperate soul on one knee pleading to the New York sky with clenched fists. Between you and me, I have never forgiven myself since The Bambino left town. My name is Harry Frazee...and "Go Sox!"

July 17, 1920: As a member of the Yankees Ruth breaks the single-season home run record he set with the Red Sox with Nos. 30 and 31 against the Chicago White Sox.

1920-1921: In his first two seasons as an outfielder and first baseman with the Yankees, Ruth hits 109 home runs and averages .847 slugging percentage.

1923-1932: The Red Sox finish last every year but two and, in 1932, lose 111 games. The Yankees win four titles during this span and Ruth sets a new home run record, with 60, in 1927. The record will stand for 34 years.

Oct. 15, 1946: In its first World Series appearance since 1918, Boston loses in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals. Though many saw it differently, Boston shortstop Johnny Pesky is vilified for holding onto a relay throw as St. Louis's Enos Slaughter races home from first to score the series-winning run with two outs in the eighth inning. Ted Williams bats .200 with five singles in the series.

Oct. 12, 1967: One year removed from a ninth-place finish in 1966, "The Impossible Dream" Red Sox -- after winning the pennant on the last day of a magical season -- lose a seven-game World Series to Bob Gibson (three complete-game wins) and the St. Louis Cardinals.

March 22, 1972: Red Sox trade pitcher Sparky Lyle to the Yankees for first baseman Danny Cater. In a Yankees uniform, Lyle goes 57-40 with 141 saves. Cater plays three seasons in a Sox uniform -- 211 games -- and bats .262 with 14 home runs.

Oct. 22, 1975: Boston coughs up a 3-0 lead in Game 7 to lose the World Series to the Big Red Machine.

Oct. 2, 1978: The Red Sox, who held a 14-game lead on the Yankees in late-July and trailed by 3 1/2 with eight to play, catch up to force this one-game playoff for the AL pennant. Down 2-0 in the seventh, Bucky Dent -- who was batting .140 in his previous 20 games and had only four home runs on the year -- takes a 1-1 Mike Torrez pitch barely over the Green Monster for a 3-2 lead. The Yankees go on to win the game 5-4 and, one series later, their 22nd championship title.

Oct. 25, 1986: Maybe you've seen it. "Slow roller down the ..." You know the rest. One strike away from their first World Series title, the Sox blow it in the 10th inning.

Oct. 27, 1986: Boston coughs up a 3-0 lead in Game 7 to lose the World Series to the Mets.

July 29, 1988: Boston trades Brady Anderson and Curt Schilling for righthander Mike Boddicker. Anderson is would hit 50 home runs in 1996 and is still a productive major league centerfielder, while Schilling remains one of the best power pitchers in baseball, with two 300-strikeout seasand 99 career wins. Boddicker went 29-22 with the Red Sox and started only 18 games with Kansas City and Milwaukee after the 1991 season.

Sept. 9, 1988: Oakland sweeps Boston in the ALCS. Former Red Sox pitcher Dennis Eckersley saves all four games and earns the series MVP.

Oct. 10, 1990: Umpire Terry Cooney ejects Roger Clemens in the second inning of Game 4 of the ALCS and Boston falls to the A's in another ALCS sweep.

Oct. 3, 1995: In baseball's longest postseason game (5 hours, one minute), former Red Sox catcher Tony Pena hits the game-winning home run in the 13th inning to give Cleveland a victory in Game 1 of the Division Series. Three days later, the Indians sweep Boston after sluggers Mo Vaughn (the 1995 AL MVP) and Jose Canseco go hitless in 27 combined at bats. Boston's consecutive playoff winless streak increases to 11 games.

Oct. 13, 1999: In Game 1 of the historic ALCS, umpire Rick Reed's blown call in the top of the 10th turns Boston's men-on-first-and-third-with-no-outs into a man on first and one out. Brian Daubach grounds into an inning-ending double play to end the threat and Bernie Williams hits a walkoff homer in the bottom of the 11th to give the Yankees a 1-0 series lead.

Oct. 17, 1999: After shelling Clemens in Game 3, the Red Sox disintegrate in Game 4. The game features another blown call and an embarrassing meltdown by the fans at Fenway, who watch the Yankees take a 3-1 series lead. "It's like we're being cheated out there," Darren Lewis says after the game. Two days later the Yankees end Boston's 81st consecutive season without a title.

Oct. 27, 1999: The Yankees close out the century by winning their 25th title. Clemens pitches in the World Series finale and earns his first championship ring.