Who is the youngest person?

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Posted By: V117Collector

Who is the youngest person inducted into baseballs HoF? and how old was he?

Who is the youngest person (player) to make it into the Majors leagues, and what team did he play for?

Babe Ruth calling the shot, is this fact or fiction? Did Ruth ever deny calling that world famous home-run? was it just all plebiscite stunt?

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Posted By: fkw

Just a guess off the top of my head........ Koufax

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Gehrig?

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Posted By: Elliot

Koufax......20th C..Joe Nuxhall, i think there was a younger player in the 19th C, but his name escapes me.

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

Mike Slattery was the youngest regular player in major league history when he played for the Boston Reds of the Union Association in 1884 at just 17 years of age.

There may have been other younger players who made cameo appearances.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Fred Chapman is the youngest player in major league history at 14 years and 7 months old.He pitched for the 1887 Philadelphia Athletics

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Posted By: jay behrens

Gehrig was a year younger than Koufax when inducted

Jay

Growing old is not optional, growing up is.

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Posted By: PC

This might be a technicality, but the youngest person inducted into the HOF is (I beleive) Ross Youngs ... he only lived to 30. He died in 1927, and was inducted in 1972, but he was still a 30-year old inductee.

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Posted By: Daniel Bretta

And NO Ruth did NOT call his shot.

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Posted By: Scott Gross

There is actually film footage of Babe's "called shot." After taking a strike, he turns to the Cubs' bench, and gestures to them in probable responce to some heckling. He then hit HR. So his shot was called, just not the "fabled" pointing to the fence, just pointing to the bench ...... (with a few choice words, I'd assume)

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Posted By: Mike

I heard a live interview with Charlie Root concerning this matter. Whom I believe threw the pitch. Of course in those days, a knock down pitch was perfectly acceptable, in both the pitchers and batters view. Any way, Charlie said that Ruth did not call the shot, and in fact, even though it was the babe, if he would have had the nerve to call the shot, he would have thrown the next pitch down the Babe's throat.

I forget who the pitcher was, been a long time since I heard the interview.(But it was the pitcher who threw the pitch) maybe not Root. Don't have time right now to look it up. And my memorie stinks.

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

Re Root's contention that Ruth did not call his shot, it has been speculated that Root would not have owned up to the called homer because, to a hard competitor like Root was, it would have been too embarrassing to admit it happened. Also, guys usually get thrown at AFTER they homer.

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Posted By: PC

There is a recorded interview with the Babe, where he explains that he pointed and yelled at the Cubs bench that he was going to hit the next ball over the fence. The footage (I've seen the same clip Scott mentions above) supports Ruth's version 100%. No pointing at the fence, but still a called shot.

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Posted By: FYS

I have watched the Ruth clip several times and he does NOT call his shot. It is an absolute myth.

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Posted By: PC

Did the Babe call that shot? Read the accounts, and decide for yourself:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babe_Ruth's_Called_Shot#Rediscovered_16_mm_films

This photo is a video grab from one of two films taken by fans that day:


And here is a link to audio of the announcer's description of the homer, followed by the Babe's own account (the first clip could have been recorded after the homer, and is therefore suspect, but the Babe's words are the Babe's words ... to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt):
http://www.authentichistory.com/audio/1930s/sports/19321001_Babe_Ruth_Calls_His_Shot.html

I suppose there's no way to ever know for sure, but it is clear that the Babe AT LEAST gestured to the Cubs bench (if not to the outfield), with two strikes, said SOMETHING, and then hit the longest homer Cubs fans had ever seen at Wrigley up until that time.

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Posted By: leon

Great clip. Not trying to change the subject but this situation almost reminds me of the PSA8 Wagner. Eventually the myth becomes bigger than the event/thing itself. The called shot sounds more like a gestured rib back at the other players. But who cares? It's the called shot, for the love of God !! regards