Quote:
Originally Posted by Seven
It would have been a sight to see Satchel Paige, pitch to Babe Ruth or Walter Johnson pitch to Oscar Charleston.
How about Lefty Grove pitching to Josh Gibson? Another match up we were robbed of.
Would've been even more interesting to see what teams these guys would have played on.
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I believe Paige did pitch to Ruth in exhibitions. If memory serves Buck O'Neill recounted Ruth homering off him but I'll have to check.
Here 'tis.
Ken Burns's documentary on baseball included an interview with Negro League player Buck O'Neil. Here is a portion of the interview:
Is there one moment in all of baseball you wish you could have seen?
I wish I could have been there when Babe Ruth pointed and hit the ball out of the ballpark in the 1932 World Series. I wish I could have seen that. But I did see something I admired just about as much, with Satchel Paige and Babe Ruth. This was in Chicago, after Ruth came out of the major leagues. He was barnstorming, playing with different teams, and he played us. Satchel was pitching and Ruth was hitting. Satchel threw Ruth the ball and Ruth hit the ball, must have been 500 feet, off of Satchel. Satchel looked at Ruth all the way around the bases and when Ruth got to home plate, you know who shook his hand? Satchel Paige shook Ruth's hand at home plate.
They stopped the game and waited, he and Satchel talking, until the kid went out, got the ball, brought it back and Satchel had Babe Ruth autograph that ball for him. That was some kind of moment.