10 replies to this topic

[Fishin Phil]

Cubs Fact:

Babe Ruth alleged "called shot" happened at Wrigley Field during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against Cubs pitcher Charlie Root.

[Oswego Chris]

those interested...and willing to ignore the cheap inneundo like title..."The Big Bam" is an awesome book I read a few years ago about the Babe...just a few of the interesting facts I remember...

- the Babe was the first with an uppercut swing...players had always been taught to swing down
- Babe copied his swing from a monk in the orphanage who hit kids flyballs with a fungo
- lived his life thinking he was one year older than he really was
- more than likely he had african-american relatives, but much of his ancestry is shrouded in mystery
-he lived with his dad at the tavern his dad ran, and then when someone was murdered there, his dad had him live at the orphanage
- the book goes season by season...great stuff...
- was thrown out trying to steal a base to end the 1926 World Series
- the tales of indulgence are unbelievable

I have read it a couple of times...it really makes you appreciate just how famous this guy was....

[butlerdawgs]

Yea about the orphanage that he lived in. One of my great-great uncles (or something like that) was a monk at that orphanage. Family legend says that he is the one that got him into baseball, but it's tough to believe/prove something like that.

[Fishin Phil]

Still very cool that he worked at the same orphanage!

[Ashley]

I am going to have to look for that book and try to read it! Sounds like an amazing read!

[Brett]

I am going to have to look for that book and try to read it! Sounds like an amazing read!

I was just thinking the same thing.

[King Jeff]

Barnes and Noble has it for the Nook for 11.99, you can get it on the marketplace in paperback for 3.50 plus shipping.

[MightyBear]

About Babe calling his shot, I read an account by Billy Herman who was playing third base for the Cubs state that Babe was pointing to Charlie Root. Root had come inside on the Babe and he didin't llike it so he pointed to Root basically meaning that if he came inside again, Ruth was going to charge the mound. Instead Root put one right down the middle and Ruth hit it into the Center field bleachers. The reporters all jumped on Ruth "calling his shot" and Ruth never admitted he did but didn't deny it either. Hence the legend.

[Tommy]

I always heard he was shading his eyes from the sun.

[butlerdawgs]

I heard he was trying to signal a hot dog vendor in the stands

[TWC]

I heard he was trying to signal a hot dog vendor in the stands

You misspelled "whiskey vendor".
HTH.