babe ruth Flashcards
babe ruth career highlights
over 22 years, hit 0.342, 714 home runs, and held record for total home runs
also pitched for 8 years
REVOLUTIONIZED baseball by moving it away from small ball to power hitting and home runs
small ball
move runner around base, single stolen bases, try to manufacture runs
WAR
BR still ranks first in this
182.5 wins above replacement
- team would win 182.5 fewer games if he was replaced w avg player
OPS
OBS% + SLG%
on base percent plus slugging percent
how often he’s on base and measure of power
still ranks first in this
aaron judge
has great season stats, but BR did it over 22 years
sultan of swat
BR large personality i.e. women, demeanor, alcohol
roger maris and henry aaron
roger maris: yankees player who beat BR’s single season record
henry aaron: beat BR’s career total home runs
faced public resentment
babe ruth’s background
family lived above his father’s bar in baltimore
sent to st mary’s industrial school at 7 under recommendator of officer henry birmingham
not listening to authority and mischeivous, not a bad kid
harrison frazee
owner of red sox, sold babe ruth to the yankees before the 1920 season
used red sox as a financial funnel for his broadway theatres
sold BR for 150k plus 300k loan
ban johnson
the american league commissioner, was in dispute w harrison frazee
5 teams followed johnson, 3 didn’t
- divided the league
to punish frazee, johnson reduced number of bidders
1927 season
BR’s salary was 70k, made over 73k in commercial earnings
equivalent to 26 mil today
christy walsh
guided BR on finances thru his career
exclusivity: walsh suggested BR only endorse select sponsors to inc brand
BR and curtiss candy company
CCC launched baby ruth candy bar, made 1mil/month
CCC claimed named after US pres’ daughter who died at 9 y/o
- she died in 1904
- launched in 1921 when BR household name
bcs of US laws, BR never profited
1921 barnstorming tour
after major league season, players went on exhibition tour for more pay
looked down upon by commissioner kennesaw mountain landis
kennesaw mountain landis
commissioner
banned BR for part of 1922 season bcs he participated in barnstorming tour despite it being prohibited
1922 baseball writers of america dinner
BR apologized for behaviour in 1922 season i.e. not following 1am curfew and drinking alcohol…vowed to change
christy walsh says 1922 was a turning pt for BR which he used as a springboard for his career
babe ruth death
nasopharyngeal cancer at 53 y/o
dan nathan
says babe ruth’s celebrity was a function of his time
1920s, US looking for heroes
- lack of national values i.e. individualism
- concern abt immigration and urbanization
mass media established BR as a hero
