This one needs no introduction; on this hot summer day of 1931 The Sultan of Swat connected on his 600th home run. The Babe also got ejected from the game on a home run call in the later innings. The game was in St. Louis against the woeful Browns, the Yanks won 11-7. Lou Gehrig also hit a home run.
If there was video review back in 1931, the Babe might have hit a second home run. He was ejected in later inning for arguing a home run call with third base ump Roy Van Graflan.
On hitting the Babe says:
“How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball…The harder you grip the bat, the more you can swing it through the ball, and the farther the ball will go. I swing big, with everything I’ve got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can.” – Babe Ruth
Willie Mays was the second person to get to the 600 club level. Since then Hammerin’ Hank Aaron; Barry Bonds; Sammy Sosa; Ken Griffey, Jr; Alex Rodriquez; and Jim Thome have joined this club.
There were four other players named Babe who played for the Red Sox. Can you name the Five Babes of Boston?
More so than any other ballplayer, the Babe is an international baseball icon. He was not going to join the Japanese All-star touring team in 1934 until he was presented this poster as incentive to make the trip. Interesting he was the second “Babe” from Boston to make the trip to Japan.
Sources:
Baseball-reference.com
Retrosheets.com
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