The Day Teams Sold Their Souls: Legendary Sports Trades That Still Haunt the Leagues
In sports, trades are supposed to balance teams, give new opportunities, and keep fans arguing at bars long after last call. But history shows us something else entirely: some trades were so lopsided they looked less like business deals and more like daylight robbery. Just ask the Boston Red Sox, who, instead of trading for pitching, decided to sell Babe Ruth’s bat to fund a Broadway musical. (Talk about off-Broadway disasters.) For a deep dive into just how ridiculous these decisions were, you can check out the full rundown at the greatest sports trades in history .
Babe Ruth: The Original Broadway Catastrophe
The Red Sox essentially traded a baseball god for a tin whistle and a show tune. After Ruth went to the Yankees, New York won 27 championships, while Boston won a couple of bar fights and a lawsuit over seat cushions. One historian put it bluntly: “That wasn’t a trade. That was grand larceny with cleats.”
Wayne Gretzky: From Canada’s Crown Jewel to L.A. Traffic Survivor
When Gretzky was traded from Edmonton to Los Angeles in 1988, Canadians treated it like a national emergency. Parliament actually debated it, which, in Canadian terms, is like holding a full-scale war council. One MP wept, declaring, “It’s like trading Niagara Falls for a slip-and-slide.” Gretzky’s move, however, turned Los Angeles into a hockey town—briefly—before traffic and smog reminded fans that the beach is free.
Herschel Walker: The Trade That Built a Dynasty
The Dallas Cowboys shipped Walker to Minnesota, and in return built the NFL’s 1990s powerhouse. Minnesota, meanwhile, learned that mortgaging the future for one running back is like pawning your car to buy a unicycle. Cowboys fans call it “The Great Train Robbery.” Vikings fans call it “The Reason We Drink.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: From Milwaukee to Showtime
When Kareem wanted out of Milwaukee in 1975, the Lakers gladly obliged. He went on to win five championships with Magic Johnson. Milwaukee got—well, let’s be polite and call them “participants.” If you were playing Monopoly, this would be the equivalent of trading Boardwalk for Baltic Avenue and a paperclip.
Lionel Messi: The Transfer Heard Round the World
Technically not a trade but a transfer, Messi’s move from Barcelona to PSG was so shocking it felt like the Earth tilted. Barcelona fans cried into their tapas, while Paris shrugged and said, “Well, at least we still have croissants.” The economics of soccer make NBA trades look like garage sales, but Messi’s departure was proof that loyalty in sports is as extinct as Blockbuster.
What the Funny People Are Saying
“Babe Ruth to the Yankees was less a trade and more a yard sale where the Red Sox accidentally priced their house at $5.” — Jerry Seinfeld “Herschel Walker for all those draft picks? That’s like trading a snowblower for a snowstorm.” — Ron White “Messi leaving Barcelona was like my dad leaving for milk—except Messi actually came back with trophies.” — Amy Schumer
Why These Trades Still Matter
These trades weren’t just transactions. They redefined dynasties, created curses, and filled therapy sessions for generations of fans. Sports fans never forget because these trades are less about economics and more about emotional bankruptcy.
Whether you root for the Yankees, Lakers, Cowboys, or PSG, history proves one thing: sometimes the best trades aren’t about who you get—they’re about who you tricked the other guy into taking. And if you need the full lineup of these absurd swaps, it’s all covered here: the greatest sports trades in history .
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/the-greatest-sports-trades-in-history/