*Babe Ruth Thread*

[Sultan_1895-1948]

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.

Yeah, Ruth was unique in that sense. He had a great eye, much like Teddy Ballgame, but unlike Teddy B., he understood there was value in extending the zone at times. Then there's the understanding of strategy...and the benefit, immediate and future, of pushing one past the shift. We've seen so many times, Bonds, Papi, Howard...guys stubbornly hit into the shift. Ruth knew the benefit. Portrayed as a big dummy home runner hitter but he was as smart as they come on the field.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Yeah, Ruth was unique in that sense. He had a great eye, much like Teddy Ballgame, but unlike Teddy B., he understood there was value in extending the zone at times. Then there's the understanding of strategy...and the benefit, immediate and future, of pushing one past the shift. We've seen so many times, Bonds, Papi, Howard...guys stubbornly hit into the shift. Ruth knew the benefit. Portrayed as a big dummy home runner hitter but he was as smart as they come on the field.

Ruth not all the time but enough times to discourage any shift..........would hit the other way. I read a few game reports where he even bunted down the third base line. One time, a double as the ball rolled into left field. Then stood on second base grinning and at the infileders on the right side and then ponting to the vacated left side where the ball went through the infield.
Here are two articles on a shift, one dealing with strategy and the other a matter of safety first.

[SultanOfWhat]

Nice barnstorming pic of The Babe from October 29, 1923 (Larksville, PA).




This famous pose of Ruth's is represented in a huge image available at the LOC website. Crop:



http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/92507380/
'

I was looking through hundreds of tiny thumbnails at an auction website and it occurred to me that the image might involve Babe Ruth, because the action was so outlandish. Turned out I was right!:





Philippines: Babe Ruth Lou Gehrig vintage photo Rizal Memorial stadium 1934.




Does anyone have a decent video of this film clip? The Babe takes an outside pitch and pulls it for a home run. There is a very grainy version on you tube with a funny Hawk Harrelson call attached, and I know it is referenced in frame-by-frame by Jamie Cevallos as he breaks down Ruth's swing mechanically, but I am looking for a decent version that runs.







In later years, Babe's Who's Who in Baseball entry (next 2 pages). I think the pitching stats are wrong:






I hadn't realized that Ruth had met Harding previous to the game at Yankee Stadium (April 24, 1923). Here they are meeting in Griffith Stadium the previous year (Opening Day, April 12, 1922), while Ruth was serving his suspension for barnstorming with Meusel:




Babe wearing a fur coat, 1915:

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Did the Babe barnstorm in northern California?

[SultanOfWhat]

Did the Babe barnstorm in northern California?

Here's an article about Ruth and Gehrig barnstorming in California. I'll check Bill Jenkinson's book for more details.

http://articles.latimes.com/1987-10-...11_1_babe-ruth


Way up in Dunsmuir, 1924:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/2479993213/

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Wow, Dunsmuir is WAY up north! I was wondering if the Babe ever barnstormed in what is now called Silicon Valley.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

That video is as good as it gets Sultan. I have seen it and the home run call attached. I've never seen the video in any better quality.
If I recall I did a frame by frame and if I remember, he hit it out but looks like he bailed out in his swing.

[SultanOfWhat]

Wow, Dunsmuir is WAY up north! I was wondering if the Babe ever barnstormed in what is now called Silicon Valley.

See the bottom of page 1 in the link I posted (mentions San Jose).

Shoeless Joe, There is a better versions out there somewhere, because Jamie Cevallos has it (see his frame-by frame version at 8:45 in this video):

This video has a good side view of Ruth's HR swing (Oct 1, 1933):

http://www.efootage.com/stock-footag...d_At_Pitching/

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Look at that front foot. There may have been some and maybe some modern day hitters with that stance but I don't recall seeing any, not that I can recall.
That front foot is way over, he actually has his front shoulder, sort of with his back to the pitcher slightly. Looks like he uncoils as he swings.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

That video is as good as it gets Sultan. I have seen it and the home run call attached. I've never seen the video in any better quality.
If I recall I did a frame by frame and if I remember, he hit it out but looks like he bailed out in his swing.

I think I've seen that before too. Interesting how well he hit lefties, both in HR and BA numbers, even being a slightly closed with this feet.

Not just Ruth, any lefty back in the day, facing a lefty pitcher, had to have a lot of balls to hang in there with no helmet and such a high zone.

[pheasant]

See the bottom of page 1 in the link I posted (mentions San Jose).

Shoeless Joe, There is a better versions out there somewhere, because Jamie Cevallos has it (see his frame-by frame version at 8:45 in this video):

This video has a good side view of Ruth's HR swing (Oct 1, 1933):

http://www.efootage.com/stock-footag...d_At_Pitching/

Awesome vid, Sultan. That has to be the best video I've ever seen of the Babe taking a swing at a ball.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

One visit to California.

[SultanOfWhat]

I have an original photo of Pres. Harding arriving at the Yankee Stadium box seats on April 24, 1923. There are a few film cameras evident (hand crank). Here is a film clip from that day of Ruth shaking hands with Harding:

http://www.t3licensing.com/video/cli...ds=babe%2Cruth


According to Bill Jenkinson, Ruth's HR during the Harding game went about 480 feet.


I've heard The Babe speak in Home Run on the Keys, that classroom spoof, etc. but here is a film clip with a few seconds of Ruth speaking in a conversational voice:

http://www.t3licensing.com/video/cli...ds=babe%2Cruth


Don't have time to test 'em, but here are some clips of Ruth speaking:

http://archive.org/details/TwoBabeRuthClips

[SHOELESSJOE3]

See the bottom of page 1 in the link I posted (mentions San Jose).

Shoeless Joe, There is a better versions out there somewhere, because Jamie Cevallos has it (see his frame-by frame version at 8:45 in this video):

This video has a good side view of Ruth's HR swing (Oct 1, 1933):

http://www.efootage.com/stock-footag...d_At_Pitching/

Sultan, the version I was speaking of is the one I posted in my post #1563. I have only seen one of those and not very good quality.Are you saying there is a better version of that particular version, or saying there are different good videos.

I have seen that other good one, Babe's swing broke down. Appeared on Ken Burns special but not by sequence.
In that Burns video it's plain to see he hits it out but is not sure if it's fair. He makes a very slow trot to first base, his body leaning, like he's trying to will the ball to go out fair. Then you can see him take off, fair ball, home run.

[Badge714]

I think this has been posted before, but definitely worth another look. Simple physics. Brutal power.

http://www.viddler.com/v/a2f18db5

Also this from exhibition game in Newark while a member of the Boston Braves. A very quick bat for a forty year old. Check out the fans looking at flight of ball over fence at right center. Jenkinson has this as a 500 footer.

http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/3871900.do