Part II: “What Hath Ruth Wrought?” Excerpts From Article By Don Jennings

Babe Ruth and Kids Photo Gallery

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Part II: “What Hath Ruth Wrought?”

Today I continue with a second excerpt from Don Jennings’ fine article on Babe Ruth, written in 2014 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Babe’s major league debut. Among other things, we learn today about the Babe’s upbringing at St. Mary’s orphanage, his relations with children, and the glowing words of praise from teammates:

“Sometimes I still can’t believe what I saw. This 19-year-old kid, crude, poorly educated, only lightly brushed by the social veneer we call civilization, gradually transformed into the idol of American youth and the symbol of baseball the world over – a man loved by more people and with an intensity of feeling that perhaps has never been equaled before or since.” Hall-of-Fame teammate, Harry Hooper The front page of The Boston Post for September 9, 1919 contained two stories, portents of significant developments in national politics and the world of sports. The headline announced the Boston Police strike and just below it in smaller print was a story about a Red Sox slugger who had hit his 26th home run the previous day, breaking the single season home run record previously held by John “Buck” Freeman. In consequence of the police strike, Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge was catapulted onto the national political stage, eventually becoming President. The following January, Babe Ruth would be sold to the New York Americans for the astronomical sum of $125,000. Ruth’s record breaking 26th home run on September 8th was at the Polo Grounds against his soon to be employers. But this was nothing compared to what would follow. Ruth would become the epitome of power baseball, a position he holds to this very day. July 11, 2014 will mark the 100th anniversary of Babe Ruth’s debut as a major league player. And what a debut! In his The Life That Ruth Built, the late Marshall Smelser wrote, “. . . Babe Ruth pitched and won the first big league game he ever saw.” Bouncing back and forth between the majors and minors Ruth would compile a record of 22-9 with Baltimore and Providence, and a 2-1 record with the Red Sox in 1914. Babe Ruth learned his trade at one of the best baseball conservatories in America from 1902 until 1914. Ruth entered the St. Mary’s Industrial School for boys in 1902 after being declared “incorrigible and vicious” by a justice of the peace. St. Mary’s was a school for young misfits, delinquents, orphans, and boys from broken homes. Fortunately, the good brothers of St. Francis Xavier at the St. Mary’s Industrial School considered athletics an eighth sacrament and in the words of Leigh Montville, “Baseball was the basic liturgical part of that sacrament.” Babe Ruth was playing about two hundred games of baseball a year during his last years at St. Mary’s. When he was eight he was playing with the twelve-year olds, when twelve with the sixteen-year olds, and at sixteen with the school’s very best. St. Mary’s at its peak fielded forty-four uniformed teams. After his “discovery” (accounts differ) by Jack Dunn he joined the Baltimore Orioles of the International League in February, 1914. In short order he would become the greatest baseball player who ever lived, a position he holds to this day. Another aspect of Ruth were his relations with children. There were many occasions when he would visit orphanages, sometimes unaccompanied by photographers and reporters. There were also many occasions when they did accompany him as any Google images search will attest. No doubt, Ruth found some of these visits demanding and annoying, but there’s no record of his ever being a sour puss around the kids. All too well, he remembered those days at St. Mary’s when he was without visitors. The biggest part of Ruth was his heart. He brought inexpressible delight and joy to millions. This should never be forgotten. There’s one such photo that is particularly poignant. It was taken at St. Ann’s Home in Tacoma, Washington. The look on those faces say it all. There’s one little girl on the front row who appears to be clapping, her face beaming in unalloyed joy. That’s what Ruth did to people. “Will there ever be another Ruth? Don’t be silly! Oh, sure, somebody may come along someday who will hit more than 60 home runs in a season or more than 714 in a career, but that won’t make him another Ruth. The Bambino’s appeal was to the emotions. Don’t tell me about Ruth; I’ve seen what he did to people. I’ve seen them – fans – driving miles in open wagons through the prairies of Oklahoma to see him in exhibition games as we headed north in the spring. I’ve seen them: kids, men, women, worshipers all, hoping to get his famous name on a torn, dirty piece of paper, or hoping to get a grunt of recognition when they said, ‘H’ya, Babe.’ He never let them down; not once! He was the greatest crowd pleaser of them all! It wasn’t so much that he hit home runs, it was how he hit them and the circumstances under which he hit them. Another Ruth? Never!” -Waite Hoyt – New York Yankee Teammate Gary Livacari Excerpts From Article By Don Jennings: “What Hath Ruth Wrought?” Photo Credits: All from Google search Check out my two books, both now available on Amazon in e-book and paperback: “Paul Pryor in His Own Words: The Life and TImes of a 20-Year Major League Umpire”and “Memorable World Series Moments.” All profits go to the Illinois Veterans