*Babe Ruth Thread*

[SHOELESSJOE3]

And that's back in 1918, imagine how it was later on. Shoeless, I don't think the vast majority will ever fully comprehend the challenge Ruth presented to opposing teams.

We are the same, in that our objective has never been to make Ruth into something he wasn't. Lord knows he's the last one who needs exaggeration or hyperbole. But people who have delved into game accounts and truly studied Ruth's career can see it plainly and he's unique, because things he did on and off the field were hard to believe.

We all saw what a roided out Bonds faced in a tiny strike zone era. Babe dealt with a much larger zone and, unlike Bonds (or Teddy Ballgame for that matter), he understood there was value in his swinging outside of the zone. So, for the most part, when he walked, it was an unintentional intentional walk. They didn't report those as IBB just like they rarely mentioned the actual IBB. I remember reading he was legit IBB with the bases loaded and the other team lost 1-0

I did think of that when I posted the IBB post. He was feared that much in 1918 and at that time he was just beginning to show signs of his power, imagine that first big year, 1920 and 54 home runs and the rest of his career.
In all the years I've researched him, just when I think I've heard or read it all, I find more info, sometime hard to believe anyone like him really did exist.
Not known to many, at least I don't think. That Babe Ruth predicted he would hit two home runs off of Charlie Root.
But, let me explain the whole story, that was not in 1932.
If memory serves me right it was in 1928 or 1929, an exhibition game.
Babe made the prediction and I don't recall what Root said, I'm sure he didn't agree.

This is legit, the prediction, some where I have that article that was in print in a newspaper, still looking and if I ever find it, I will post it.

Babe did not hit any homers off of Root in that game, I did see the box score. But if I recall Babe had only one at bat so maybe Root was taking no chances. Anyway, funny that he predicts that and then a few years later he does it in the 1932 World Series.
Speaking of predictions, one that Babe made in January 1921 and only a fluke, lost home run stopped him, ended up with 59 home runs. I do have the entire January article some where. Babe mad the comment to a group of reporters, then turned and walked away.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Finally, looking for tis one for a long time.
Babe predicts hitting two homers off of Charlie Root in exhibition game, then does it in the 1932 World Series.
You can see, Babe had only one at bat in this game and Root did not pitch the whole game.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

No, no............thats the other Babe Ruth.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Still can draw a crowd.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Eiji Sawamura, at age 17, consecutive strikeouts Gehringer, Ruth, Gehrig and Foxx. Supposedly early in game hitters facing a bright setting Sun, making it difficult to pick up the ball............maybe.

Gave up his first hit in the 4th, Ruth single, Gehrig home run in 4th, won game 1- 0.

[four tool]

Great pictures. Reminds me of a story sociology professors used after WWII. Once during a standoff in the jungle the Marines and Japanese decided to insult each other to see some gung-ho "rookie" would reveal his postiton. Marine "Hey Jap. the Emperor eats #$%$#@! And sure enough, a Jap jumped up yelled, "You can't say that about the Emperor!" and got nailed. Japanese "Hey Marine! Roosevelt eats the Emporer's @#$#@@#!" Marine--keeping his head down: "Damn right, or else we wouldn't be in the stinkin jungle." Japanese 'Hey Marine, Babe Ruth eat #$#@#!" Young marine jumps up, "You can't say that about the Babe"--and he got nailed.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Babe and some other stars take Japan.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Still can draw a crowd.

That looks like a FUN time

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Babe and some other stars take Japan.

People like you are really annoying Shoeless. Always with the hero worship of Mr. Ruth. He wasn't that popular. It was all New York media hype! He was just in the right place at the right time!

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Finally, looking for tis one for a long time.
Babe predicts hitting two homers off of Charlie Root in exhibition game, then does it in the 1932 World Series.
You can see, Babe had only one at bat in this game and Root did not pitch the whole game.

A couple other called shots I read about in Ford Fricks auto-bio. Will post when I have time.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

People like you are really annoying Shoeless. Always with the hero worship of Mr. Ruth. He wasn't that popular. It was all New York media hype! He was just in the right place at the right time!

Thats the truth, I'm just an annoying Babe groupie.
How long has Babe been gone and people all over the world know who he is, talk about staying power. These are a small number of comments left on my Babe Ruth page at Facebook. I have even has some requests for some Babe photos from people in Germany, Sweden, Italy and some other countries.

Some comments here, there are dozens more on that Facebook page.
Also an article about a young Russian girl, seeing The Babe her first... maybe last time.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Just a couple of days of the young Babe, earning his pay.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Just a little note here. I've seen a couple or few posts on the board in years past about a video of Babe "stepping in to a pitch and swinging". It appeared that the message was, what kind of pitches did they some times throw to Babe, looks like a softball pitch.
First place, I have never seen more than one and maybe two videos of this type, not even sure of seeing two of them.

So this was very rare and could have been an early pitcher thowing a blooper type pitch. Made famous in later years by Rip Sewell, Eephus or blooper, whacked for a long home run by Ted Williams in the All Star Game. Not that much success with some other hitters, not really a type pitch to get good wood on it.
BTW, Ted asked Sewell about the pitch before the game and Rip did tell Ted he was going to throw the pitch to Ted.

In fact in this cartoon it's evident that Babe was tossd a blooper pitch by the Tigers Dutch Leonard.
That could explain the Babe video, stepping into a pitch. I would think they tried everything else, lets see if he could hit this pitch.

Here it is.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Just a little note here. I've seen a couple or few posts on the board in years past about a video of Babe "stepping in to a pitch and swinging". It appeared that the message was, what kind of pitches did they some times throw to Babe, looks like a softball pitch.
First place, I have never seen more than one and maybe two videos of this type, not even sure of seeing two of them.

So this was very rare and could have been an early pitcher thowing a blooper type pitch. Made famous in later years by Rip Sewell, Eephus or blooper, whacked for a long home run by Ted Williams in the All Star Game. Not that much success with some other hitters, not really a type pitch to get good wood on it.
BTW, Ted asked Sewell about the pitch before the game and Rip did tell Ted he was going to throw the pitch to Ted.

In fact in this cartoon it's evident that Babe was tossd a blooper pitch by the Tigers Dutch Leonard.
That could explain the Babe video, stepping into a pitch. I would think they tried everything else, lets see if he could hit this pitch.

Here it is.

Perhaps a slow looping curve, maybe seeing if he'd pop it up. Chances are, some form of the shift was on and he sent one to the left side. Nice cartoon find Shoeless

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Perhaps a slow looping curve, maybe seeing if he'd pop it up. Chances are, some form of the shift was on and he sent one to the left side. Nice cartoon find Shoeless

Exactly what he did Randy, timed it and hit it to left for a double.
That didn't work so now Dutch throws him a high hard one, centerfield bleachers at Fenway.
Don't know if Babe would play today as he did back then. But unlike just about every modern day slugger who hit into the shift, more than a few times he would go the other way.That is the very reason teams did not shift on him often.

Don't get Leonard walking Roth to get to Babe. Now I see why after taking a second look. Two down and he wanted to take another shot at retiring Babe, no luck there.