10 Athletes Who Betrayed Fans By Joining Their Team's Rival

Just like Jason Heyward and Dexter Fowler helped the Cubs end a long World Series drought, Johnny Damon did the same with the Boston Red Sox. After having signed a four-year contract with Boston in 2001, Damon was quickly embraced by the fans and had some clutch performances to eventually propel the team win the 2004 World Series, their first championship since 1918.

Over the course of his Red Sox career, Damon and many other members of the team had some infamous battles against the New York Yankees, their deepest rival. The rivalry was at its hottest during this era, so it was unheard of that a player would jump from one side to the other as a free agent. One season after winning the World Series, though, Damon did just that.

Before the 2006 season, the Red Sox had offered Damon a three-year contract to stay with the team. While being courted by other teams that included the Yankees, Damon remained firm that he wouldn't join them. "There's no way I can go play for the Yankees," he said. "But I know they're going to come after me hard."

Red Sox fans were stunned to learn just a few days before Christmas that Damon had indeed signed with the Yankees, inking a four-year deal for $52 million. What made them even more upset was seeing a clean-cut Damon putting on a Yankees jersey, as the team has a strict dress code.