Month: July 2017

July 9 – Hero’s Welcome

JULY 9, 1946 | BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – World War II is over. The all-star game is back – after a one-year hiatus – so is Ted Williams.

It was fitting that the mid-summer classic was played in Boston on this date in 1946. Seven Red Sox were on the American League squad, and they did not disappoint the home town crowd, especially Williams.

Like many players, “Teddy Ball-game,” as he was known, was in his first full season back after serving in World War II as a Marine fighter pilot.

Williams went 4 for 4 with two home runs and 5 RBI on this day. The most memorable moment was Williams clobbering Rip Sewell’s eephus pitch into the right-center field bullpen.

The American League crushed the National League on that day 12-0.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
1946 All-star game box score
History of the All-star game

July 7-Connie let Ruth get away too

JULY 7, 1914 | BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – The Boston Red Sox were not the only team to let George Herman Ruth get away. Philadelphia A’s (today’s Oakland A’s) owner Connie Mack turned down Babe Ruth on this date in 1914.

Ruth wasn’t the Great Bambino yet. In fact, he wasn’t even a major leaguer. He was a promising minor league pitcher, but the team he played for, the Baltimore Orioles of the International League was in financial trouble and needed cash. Orioles owner Jack Dunn offered Ruth and a couple other players to Philadelphia A’s owner Connie Mack for $10,000. Mack had his own money problems so he said no.

A couple days later the 19-year old Ruth and two other players were sold to the Boston Red Sox for $25,000. It was with the Red Sox that Ruth made his major league debut, mainly as a pitcher. He won two and lost one in 1914. The next year Ruth went 18 and 8, but it was his hitting that began to open people’s eyes. In 92 at-bats, Ruth hit .315 with 4 home runs and 21 runs batted in.

Ruth started to play the outfield, and therefore hit more often. By 1919 he was playing the outfield more than he was pitching. The owner of the Yankees needed cash to fund a Broadway play a transaction the Red Sox have never been able to live down. The first year Ruth was exclusively an outfielder – 1920 – he hit .376 with 54 home runs and 135 RBIs.

  • TIBfact: Babe Ruth pitched in 5 games during his Yankee career and won all 5.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE:
Connie Mack refuses Babe Ruth