July 11, 1914 — that is the date that the (arguably) greatest player ever to wear a Major League uniform, Babe Ruth, made his Major League debut. George Herman Ruth, age 19, started for the Boston Red Sox. He pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, striking out one and walking none in defeating the Cleveland Indians 4-3. He went hitless at the plate in two at bats before leaving for pinch hitter Duffy Lewis in the bottom of the seventh. Dutch Leonard pitched the final two innings for the save (not an official stat then). The Red Sox finished 1914 in second place in the American League.
That game may not have meant much on the surface, but it was the spring board to a career of not only Hall-of-Fame caliber but legendary status. Ruth pitched in only four games in 1914 and appeared in a fifth before going down to the Minors, but he would have his chances beginning in 1915. Even non-baseball fans recognize the name Babe Ruth and know at least some of his accomplishments.
Biography
Born George Herman Ruth on February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, the Babe grew up at St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, which Babe Ruth.com describes as “a school run by Catholic monks from an order of the Xaverian brothers.” It was there that Ruth, a wayward boy, learned vocational skills in addition to learning to play and falling in love with baseball.
Brother Matthias taught Ruth to pitch and hit. Ruth did so well at both, that Matthias invited Baltimore Orioles (then a Minor League team) owner Jack Dunn to watch Ruth play. Dunn watch Ruth for one hour and signed him to a contract. George Ruth earned his famous nickname when the Orioles players branded him “Jack’s newest babe” upon first sight. Dunn soon after sold Ruth to the Boston Red Sox.
Pitching
Ruth became a superstar pitcher. He was 89-46 with a 2.19 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 3.5 average WAR in six years as a pitcher with five full seasons for the Red Sox. He averaged 24 starts, 18 complete games, 80 strikeouts, and 198 innings per year. He won all three of his World Series starts, including two over the Chicago Cubs in 1918, allowing a total of three runs in 31 innings. He set a then-record of 29.2 scoreless innings in the World Series.
Some fans may forget that even after his trade to the Yankees, where he became a legendary slugger, Ruth started and won five more games as a pitcher without a loss, bringing his final record to 94-46. His last start came in 1933. Continuing his full-time pitching pace for his entire 22-year career would have projected out to a record of approximately 382-198, more than enough to put him into the Hall of Fame as a pitcher. This projection, of course, assumes no decline, which would have naturally happened.
Hitting
In 1918, Ruth started doing something that very few other player before had done with regularity; hitting home runs. Before 1918, 10-12 home runs routinely led the league for a full season. The Major-League record was 24, set by Gavvy Cravath in 1915. Ruth tied for the 1918 A.L. lead with 11 — in just 382 at bats. Because of his power at the plate, Ruth started playing the outfield on days he did not pitch. Then, in 1919, the Red Sox reduced Ruth’s pitching to 15 starts so he could play nearly every day in the field and get more at bats. He responded with a 9-5 record and 2.97 ERA on the mound and a .322/.456/.657 slash line, 29 HR (new record), and 113 RBI in 543 at bats. That was his last year as a pitcher. He left Boston with an 89-46 record as pitcher and 49 home runs at the plate.
The year 1919 was also Ruth’s last year with Boston. On December 16, 1919, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth’s (a some other players’) contract to the New York Yankees. The Yankees immediately turned Ruth into a full-time outfielder. For the next 15 years, Ruth slashed .349/.484/.711 and slammed 659 home runs, averaging 44 per season. He hit 59 home runs in 1921 and 60 in 1927, a record that stood for 37 years, and 54 in 1928. Ruth even hit 22 in his final Yankee season of 1934 after critics claimed he was too old to play anymore. He also averaged 132 RBI per year as a Yankee.
In World Series play, Ruth hit .326 with 15 HR and 33 RBI in 41 games spread out over 10 World Series.
Called Shot
Perhaps Ruth’s most famous moment came in the 1932 World Series. The Chicago Cubs’ Charlie Root threw two fastballs for strikes. Ruth then pointed toward the center-field flag pole and, as he claimed, said he would hit the next pitch right past it. He did just that. Many do not believe the story, but considering Ruth’s manner along with his talent, I fully believe he did call it just as he described himself.
Career Stats
Ruth finished his career by playing in 28 games for the Boston Braves in 1935. He hit just .181 that year before retiring mid-season, but he did hit six home runs with three of them coming in one game. Ruth’s 22-year career has two parts: 94-46, 2.28 ERA, and 2.1 average WAR as a pitcher and .342/.474/.690, 714 HR, 2,214 RBI, and 7.4 average WAR as a hitter (9.5 as a Yankee). His all-time home run record of 714 stood for 39 years until Hank Aaron broke it in 1974.
Greatest ever
The argument of the greatest player ever will continue long after the game of baseball ends. Baseball may have had slightly better pitchers and hitters, but Ruth did both at Hall-of-Fame and even legendary levels; no one else ever has or most likely ever will. That makes Ruth the greatest Major League player ever. It all started on July 11, 1914 — exactly 100 years ago today.
PHOTO CREDIT: Public Domain
