babe ruth called shot

[CrazyDiamond]

Did babe Ruth call his shot? i think the baseball fan in me wants to belive it but not sure?

What do you think?

Sorry if this was brought up before - new to the forum

[RTK]

I believe it was WGN TV in Chicago that had a program of some old found video of Ruth making a gesture that could be interpreted that way but was probably more of a point towards the pitcher. If I recall, it was almost a sweeping motion or flick of his arm. There had been considerable bench jockeying going on at the time and he may have been reacting to that. I personally believe it wasn't anything like an arm extended pointing of his index finger towards the fence. Root would have knocked him on his behind with a high inside pitch if he did imho.


( I wonder if youtube has the video?)

[howard38]

I don't think Root would have given Ruth a free base w/an 0-2 count and Lou Gehrig on deck in a tie WS game. I know Root said that he would have plunked him but IMO it was just bluster.

Edited to add that a brushback pitch would certainly have been a possibility which upon a second reading looks like what Rick meant.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Ruth himself denied it. I think he was just gesturing at the pitcher but it took on a life of its own because it was such an appealing story.

[bmarlowe1]

There is a film of the event. To me it looks like Ruth is pointing at the dugout, but it is not conclusive.

I saw a talk by Roger Snell, author of "Root for the Cubs." Root insisted until his dying day that if Ruth had pointed to the outfield, he would have thrown the next pitch at his head.

[CW]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkEX0eb2eBo

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by bmarlowe1

There is a film of the event. To me it looks like Ruth is pointing at the dugout, but it is not conclusive.

Do his ears provide a clue?

[EvilKing00]

Originally Posted by RTK

I believe it was WGN TV in Chicago that had a program of some old found video of Ruth making a gesture that could be interpreted that way but was probably more of a point towards the pitcher. If I recall, it was almost a sweeping motion or flick of his arm. There had been considerable bench jockeying going on at the time and he may have been reacting to that. I personally believe it wasn't anything like an arm extended pointing of his index finger towards the fence. Root would have knocked him on his behind with a high inside pitch if he did imho.


( I wonder if youtube has the video?)

Its on youtube, and a few other sites

[stlcardsfan]

Robert Creamer goes into much detail in his book about Ruth. Bottom line is no one knows. Babe himself never said one way or the other. So he probably didn't but then didn't deny it since it made a great story.

[MyGuyTy]

Either way it's a great story that will ALWAYS be a part of baseball lore....

[billyb]

Only one sports writer wrote an article, in his evening edition newspaper, that Babe Ruth called his shot. That writer was Joe Williams. A well respected sports writer of his time, and the other sport writers followed suit the next day, after reading Williams article, and the legend grew from there. His article sort of created the legend. Here is a photo of Joe Williams interviewing Ruth, just a couple of months prior to the "called shot".

.Ruth and Joe Williams.jpg

[sporteq]

I know Charlie Roots sister in-law.. I have spoken to her on many occasions. She told me, Ruth NEVER called the shot! Charlie believed he was instructing the team or some other gesture besides calling the shot.

Albert

[billyb]

Albert,
I agree, the books I have read about Ruth all state that Ruth first said no, he did not do that, but shortly afterwards, he changed his story. And in all the books, they still dwell on the fiction rather than then the fact. The fiction sold more newspapers and books.
But in a way, Root goes down in history, more famous then he would have if the writers wrote the fact.