*Babe Ruth Thread*

[elmer]

Waite Hoyt discusses Babe Ruth - recordings

http://www.baberuthcentral.com/multimedia-babe-ruth/audio-interviews/broadcasters/waite-hoyt/

[Bucketfoot]

I think Ruth's later years as a great player-1929-34, get overlooked because the Yankees were only in one WS then. 1930 for example or 31 he's still a great player.

[carsdaddy]

I think Ruth's later years as a great player-1929-34, get overlooked because the Yankees were only in one WS then. 1930 for example or 31 he's still a great player.

The emergence of Jimmy Foxx also had a lot to do with that as well.

[elmer]

The Daily Star Queesboro Aug. 2, 1925, Aug. 5, 1925Screenshot 2023-06-02 at 6.18.32 PM copy.jpgfini.jpg

[SHOELESSJOE3]

We will never know who hit the longest home run
Add to that there is probably little difference between the longest and the second and third longest and for sure many ties.
But because of park configurations we know Babe did belt two very long ones.
One in 1927 that cleared the roof in RF at Comiskey.
That second deck roof was added in the winter of 1926 and owner Charles Comiskey remarked, no one will it one out of here now.
1935 Forbes Field Pittsburgh, his third home run, the first ever to clear the roof, number 714.
That was an old Babe in 1935, Pittsburgh pitcher Guy Bush said he felt bad for Babe, did not look good, walking with a limp.
Ironic, Guy Bush was Babe's chief tormentor in the Called Shot game in the 1932 World Series.
Yelling and taunting Babe, so far out of the dugout, umps ordered him back to the bench.

Bottom line, no measurement for those two but out of parks had to be long high drives.

[Mordecai1906]

We will never know who hit the longest home run
Add to that there is probably little difference between the longest and the second and third longest and for sure many ties.
But because of park configurations e know Babe did belt two very long ones.
One in 1927 that cleared the roof in RF at Comiskey.
That second deck roof was added in the winter of 1926 and owner Charles Comiskey remarked, no one will it one out of here now.
1935 Forbes Field Pittsburgh, his third home run, the first ever to clear the roof, number 714.
That was an old Babe in 1935, Pittsburgh pitcher Guy Bush said he felt bad for Babe, did not look good, walking with a limp.
Ironic, Guy Bush was Babe's chief tormentor in the Called Shot game in the 1932 World Series.
Yelling and taunting Babe, so far out of the dugout, umps ordered him back to the bench.

Bottom line, no measurement for those two but out of parks had to be long high drives.

Look at any stat this just isn't the case. It goes against what you might think but the larger gaps come at the top. Whether it's slugging or batting average or OPS+..same would apply for homer distance. There will be some way above the pack and then a few close but not close and then further and further down the line the players get closer together and eventually you have players literally separated by tenths of a percentage .

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Look at any stat this just isn't the case. It goes against what you might think but the larger gaps come at the top. Whether it's slugging or batting average or OPS+..same would apply for homer distance. There will be some way above the pack and then a few close but not close and then further and further down the line the players get closer together and eventually you have players literally separated by tenths of a percentage .

First, we are unable to know, impossible to tell if what I say is correct smaller gaps in distance near the top or what you say, you disagree.
I am in agreement with your second part, further down the line there will be little gaps but thats only because there are hundreds, thousands in that range of distance, unlike the bombs near the top, way smaller in number of tape measure jobs,

How much further could Ruth hit one than Bonds, Foxx, McGwire or some others.
Could a Bonds or McGwire tape measure be hit 60 or 80 feet further than a Killebrew, Dick Allen, Foxx home run.
The higher we go the thinner the number of players hitting balls out of sight.

When I say close when it's about the some of the longest ever, just a guess 30-40 feet.
Notice in the history of the game when we speak of those near 500 feet, none are hit much further than the others.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Look at any stat this just isn't the case. It goes against what you might think but the larger gaps come at the top. Whether it's slugging or batting average or OPS+..same would apply for homer distance. There will be some way above the pack and then a few close but not close and then further and further down the line the players get closer together and eventually you have players literally separated by tenths of a percentage .

Just to refresh, my earlier post, that I believe no matter who hit the longest home run, there should be no hugh gap, say 40-60 feet longer than others coming after the longest distance.
We don't have exact distances for some of the longest in history.
But we do have the following, in recent years Statcast long home runs.
You will notice, when we get near the top longest, there are no hugh gaps and I think the same applies in the history of the game, get near the longest and not much difference in distance, the longest and those that followed number one.

From Statcast the longest in 2022---504---499---496---495---490.
From MLB the longest in 2021--------495---486---485---483---481.

Statcast Era the longest------505--2018--------505---2019----504---2016-----495---2015------495---2017

Where is the big gap at the top 2022 from number one to number five, 14 feet.
2021 number one to number 5, 14 feet
Statcast era number one to number five 10 feet.

I can't prove what happened long ago but the above does show, when you get to the very top, no one hitter can hit one much further than those that follow.
Why don't we see a 515-530.

[carsdaddy]

Dang, I would have sworn I've responded to this post before, along with other members. Was this on another thread, too? Or, are we not permitted to criticize Mr. Bonds' bogus performance and records any longer - except between coughs? If that's the case, please let me know, and I shall refrain from putting any work into such posts.

Or, as I hope (but couldn't find), maybe I (we) just posted on a different thread to an identically written post.

How difficult could it have been to play in Ruth's era if you didn't have to exercise and stay in shape?

[scottmitchell74]

How difficult could it have been to play in Ruth's era if you didn't have to exercise and stay in shape?

Still hard.

Ruth's best stretch, by far, was when he got serious and hired a personal trainer.

Cobb
Hornsby
Gehrig

All the greats trained/worked out in some way.

Look up pics of Gehrig. From the sternum down (where hitting takes place) he was massive. Thick trunk and legs.

Foxx was well known for being well built.

[EdTarbusz]

How difficult could it have been to play in Ruth's era if you didn't have to exercise and stay in shape?

I'm amazed that neither of my grandfather's played Major League Baseball. One was actually a professional athlete in the 1930s and the WWII era.

[carsdaddy]

Still hard.

Ruth's best stretch, by far, was when he got serious and hired a personal trainer.

Cobb
Hornsby
Gehrig

All the greats trained/worked out in some way.

Look up pics of Gehrig. From the sternum down (where hitting takes place) he was massive. Thick trunk and legs.

Foxx was well known for being well built.

I'm sure he did , no one can just walk out on the field and preform.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

How difficult could it have been to play in Ruth's era if you didn't have to exercise and stay in shape?

After getting into terrible shape in 1925, at 250+ pounds George Ruth knew he had to do something
Winter of 1925 he started working out at Arty McGovern's Gym.
Running for distance, sprints, boxing, jumping rope, medicine ball, handball, took off close to 50 Lbs., ready for the 1926 season.
No way does he end up with 714 home runs or last as long as he did if not for changing his ways.
A side note, some in the family did not care for his wife Claire.
My take, no 714 if not for her. Married in 1929, she cut out his night life and watched his diet.
Sometimes even with him in some road games.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Ruth in spring training 1926. Much more fit than Ruth in 1925. Ruth in shape 1926 2.jpg

[Mordecai1906]

After getting into terrible shape in 1925, at 250+ pounds George Ruth knew he had to do something
Winter of 1925 he started working out at Arty McGovern's Gym.
Running for distance, sprints, boxing, jumping rope, medicine ball, handball, took off close to 50 Lbs., ready for the 1926 season.
No way does he end up with 714 home runs or last as long as he did if not for changing his ways.
A side note, some in the family did not care for his wife Claire.
My take, no 714 if not for her. Married in 1929, she cut out his night life and watched his diet.
Sometimes even with him in some road games.

Some road games? Claire was on the train with the team. She definitely kept him in check. And at home too. Limited the guests that would come through, how late they stayed, and the amount of hard alcohol that was consumed. There can be no doubt that a Ruth deserves credit for toning down his ways but Claire was the fuel that kept it going. I would say she deserves a big hat tip for Mr. Ruth having one of the best "declines" in baseball history. That is to take nothing away from what he did. He still had to have that drive.