Babe Ruth, oneo fthe greatest pitchers of all time? You may ask, didn’t you mean one of the greatest hitters of all time? Perhaps we both are correct and we should say one of the best pitchers and hitters of all time.
When Babe died he owned 56 Major League records plus 10 more.
Al records including the best winning percentage for a pitcher, lifetime, against the New York Yankees. No one at the time had matched the achievements of the BABE.
The Babe learned to play ball as a kid of the streets while he was an “inmate” at St. Mary’s Industrial School for boys. The Babe made the Majors as a 19 year old with the Boston Red Sox in 1914. Starting the next year, he went 78-40 with an ERA under 2.30 in helping the club to 3 world series titles over the next 4 seasons. The left-hander completed a series-record 29 consecutive scoreless innings in 1918, yet he was such a successful hitter that manager Ed Barrow begaan giving hom outfield assignments on non pitching days. The 6’2 inch giant liked the arrangements and when he was allowed to roam the outfield almost exclusively in 1919, he hit a major league record 29 home runs.
In 1920 Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Babe to the New York Yankees for $125,000 dollars. The Babe put his stamp of approval on the deal and in my opinion the stupidest sports deal of all time for an owner. The Babe went on that year to hit a record shattering 54 hoers more hoers than 14 of the 16 major league teams compied.
Fans wanted excitement after the hard realities of World War I and the Black Sox scandal, and Ruth supplied it - showing that one swing could accoplish what had perviously taken a series of bunts, steals, hits and slides, to do.
He was the quintessential hero of the roaring 20’s, a ham for the cameras who enjoyed having every move followed and could ak up his bravado. Dominating as no player before or since he averaged 47 home runs and 133 rbi’s during the decade when just four other players hit as many as 40 homers even once. Over his career, Ruth would lead the Yankees to seven pennants and four World Championships.
Even when his 97-46 pitching mark is not factored in, Ruth’s records are remarkable. He slugged .849 in a single season and averaged a .690 slugging and .474 on base percentage over his career. When the Babe retired his .342 lifetime hitting and his 714 hoe runs were about twice as many as his nearest competitor. He was baseballs most loved performer and a kid favorite. He was “The Babe.”
This weeks question comes from Sandy in Speedwell “Upon your retirement whenever that happens, do you think you will stay in contact with your sports and media friends? Sandy as I have said before I have met some wonderful people and just because I may be hanging up the sports career, I will not lose contact with any of my friends. I have many friends who have retired before me and we still stay very active in each others lives. I just spent this weekend with sports fold you probably know of or have seen on TV. We had a great get together at a ookout. Family and friends are forever.
Johnny Smith is a native of Claiborne County and under contract with the Atlanta Braves.
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