With the count at two balls and one strike, Ruth gestured, possibly in the direction of center field, and after the next pitch (a strike), may have pointed there with one hand. [241], In various surveys and rankings, Ruth has been named the greatest baseball player of all time. Although Fairfax regretted that he could not have the time to make Ruth a cricket player, Ruth had lost any interest in such a career upon learning that the best batsmen made only about $40 per week. There were rumors that Ruth was a likely candidate each time when the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, and Detroit Tigers were looking for a manager, but nothing came of them. There are legendsfilmed for the screen in The Babe Ruth Story (1948)that the young pitcher had a habit of signaling his intent to throw a curveball by sticking out his tongue slightly, and that he was easy to hit until this changed. For the rest of his life, Ruth would praise Brother Matthias, and his running and hitting styles closely resembled his teacher's. Shore's feat was listed as a perfect game for many years. Ruth's new teammates considered him brash and would have preferred him as a rookie to remain quiet and inconspicuous. Creamer speculated that they did not marry in Baltimore, where the newlyweds boarded with George Ruth Sr., to avoid possible interference from those at St. Mary'sboth bride and groom were not yet of age[42][43] and Ruth remained on parole from that institution until his 21st birthday. Owners build ballparks to encourage home runs, which are featured on SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight each evening during the season. [178] As it turned out, Fuchs and Ruppert had both known all along that Ruth's non-playing positions were meaningless. Babe Ruth: His Life and Legend. I nodded, and Paul got up, called in a Chaplain, and I made a full confession .". He later said his only duties as vice president consisted of making public appearances and autographing tickets. His parents were . [157] There was bad blood between the two teams as the Yankees resented the Cubs only awarding half a World Series share to Mark Koenig, a former Yankee. Stout deemed this the first hint Ruth would have no future with the Yankees once he retired as a player. Montville writes that "the fog [surrounding his childhood] will make him forever accessible, universal. [83] The Red Sox, winners of five of the first 16 World Series, those played between 1903 and 1919,[d] would not win another pennant until 1946, or another World Series until 2004, a drought attributed in baseball superstition to Frazee's sale of Ruth and sometimes dubbed the "Curse of the Bambino". Navin was unwilling to wait. As his second arrest of the month, the Yankees slugger had to spend the rest of the day in jail and pay a $100 fine. Net Worth: $800 Thousand; Date of Birth: Feb 6, 1895 - Aug 16, 1948 (53 years old) . His conditioning had become so poor that he could barely trot around the bases. [189] His appearance at many New York courses drew spectators and headlines. (Robert Edward Auctions) A rare original print of a 1915 photograph of Babe Ruth . [120] Before the start of the 1922 season, Ruth had signed a three-year contract at $52,000 per year with an option to renew for two additional years. In less than a week, the killer had made its way into the neighborhoods of Boston. You don't do that to your boss, especially when he had stood by you when you were indicted. [69] The 1919 season saw record-breaking attendance, and Ruth's home runs for Boston made him a national sensation. This was, in fact, the birthday of an elder brother of the same name, who died soon after birth. Fuchs also raised the possibility of Ruth succeeding McKechnie as manager, perhaps as early as 1936. [55] Jack Barry was hired by Frazee as manager. He gave up seven hits and six walks, but was helped by outstanding fielding behind him and by his own batting efforts, as a fourth-inning triple by Ruth gave his team a 20 lead. [59], At the end of April 1920, the Yankees were 47, with the Red Sox leading the league with a 102 mark. [245] In 1983, the United States Postal Service honored Ruth with the issuance of a twenty-cent stamp. An 18 inning World Series game, also between the Red Sox and Dodgers, was played in 2018. But the Yankees were plagued by injuries, erratic pitching and inconsistent play. Ruth replied that he hoped "every Jap that mention[ed] my name gets shot". With regular playing time, he broke the MLB single-season home run record in 1919 with 29. [28][29], The competition from the Terrapins caused Dunn to sustain large losses. Ruth's batting average also fell to .323, well below his career average. He also traveled to California to witness the filming of the movie based on the book. [9], As an out-of-towner from New York City, Frazee had been regarded with suspicion by Boston's sportswriters and baseball fans when he bought the team. [46], Carrigan was sufficiently impressed by Ruth's pitching to give him a spot in the starting rotation. [81] The New York Times suggested that "The short right field wall at the Polo Grounds should prove an easy target for Ruth next season and, playing seventy-seven games at home, it would not be surprising if Ruth surpassed his home run record of twenty-nine circuit clouts next Summer. [79], The transaction was contingent on Ruth signing a new contract, which was quickly accomplishedRuth agreed to fulfill the remaining two years on his contract, but was given a $20,000 bonus, payable over two seasons. Lefty Gomez, on Ruth's called shot, as quoted in The Day Ruth Called His ShotOr Did He? [34] Ruth was not much noticed by the fans, as Bostonians watched the Red Sox's crosstown rivals, the Braves, begin a legendary comeback that would take them from last place on the Fourth of July to the 1914 World Series championship. His moon face is as recognizable today as it was when he stared out at Tom Zachary on a certain September afternoon in 1927. An emotional Ruth promised reform, and, to the surprise of many, followed through. Viva el Home Run and two times viva Babe Ruth, exponent of the home run, and overshadowing star. He was nevertheless inserted into Game Seven in the seventh inning and shut down the Yankees to win the game, 32, and win the Series. Besides, the President gets a four-year contract. The first game of the doubleheader in Philadelphiathe Braves lost bothwas his final major league appearance. [57] In 1991, Major League Baseball's (MLB) Committee on Statistical Accuracy amended it to be listed as a combined no-hitter. He will be the patron saint of American possibility. "[226], Although Ruth was not just a power hitterhe was the Yankees' best bunter, and an excellent outfielder[120]Ruth's penchant for hitting home runs altered how baseball is played. Nevertheless, when Frazee, who moved in the same social circles as Huston, hinted to the colonel that Ruth was available for the right price, the Yankees owners quickly pursued the purchase. Plagued by injuries, they found themselves in a battle with the Senators. After Dunn's deals, the Baltimore Orioles managed to hold on to first place until August 15, after which they continued to fade, leaving the pennant race between Providence and Rochester. Ruth and Considine get their facts wrong when they finally get into the Called Shot itself. He was 42. I knew what he meant.". He became ill while there, and relapsed during spring training. The Associated Press reported in 1993 that Muhammad Ali was tied with Babe Ruth as the most recognized athlete in America. [160], Ruth remained productive in 1933. LOCAL FIRE CHIEF IS UPHELD IN MRS. "BABE" RUTH DEATH. Ruth then left his job as a first base coach and would never again work in any capacity in the game of baseball. The Braves, 1027 when Ruth left, finished 38115, at .248 the worst winning percentage in modern National League history. [251] He later sought to market candy bearing his name; he was refused a trademark because of the Baby Ruth bar. Robinson also was with Ruth during the 1932 World Series in Chicago, and at the game when Ruth was said to have called his home run. For other uses, see, Ruth (top row, center) at St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1912, Ruth (top row, left, holding a catcher's mitt and mask) at St. Mary's, 1912, Batting title and "bellyache" (19241925), "Called shot" and final Yankee years (19291934). [122] In New York, Ruth collapsed again and was found unconscious in his hotel bathroom. Dr. William Maloney says Ruth died of a rare form of cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Ruth's biographers agreed that he benefited from the timing of his ascension to "Home Run King". "The only real game, I think, in the world is baseball.". [3], Many details of Ruth's childhood are unknown, including the date of his parents' marriage. He desired to remain in baseball as a manager. He got off to a hot start and on August 1, he had 42 home runs. [236] Reisler states that recent sluggers who surpassed Ruth's 60-home run mark, such as Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds, generated much less excitement than when Ruth repeatedly broke the single-season home run record in the 1920s. The Tigers' job ultimately went to Mickey Cochrane. After games he would follow the crowd to the Babe's suite. He then slumped for the latter part of the season, and he hit just twelve home runs in the last two months. [107] In August 1922, the rule was changed to allow limited barnstorming for World Series participants, with Landis's permission required. [120] Ruth had kept up his efforts to stay in shape in 1923 and 1924, but by early 1925 weighed nearly 260 pounds (120kg). 44. The Guideposts office received it on the fatal day-August 16, 1948. [27], Once the regular season began, Ruth was a star pitcher who was also dangerous at the plate. His catcher was Bill Carrigan, who was also the Red Sox manager. Ruth long thought his birthday was February 7, 1894. [72], According to one of Ruth's biographers, Jim Reisler, "why Frazee needed cash in 1919and large infusions of it quicklyis still, more than 80 years later, a bit of a mystery". [77], Frazee sold the rights to Babe Ruth for $100,000, the largest sum ever paid for a baseball player. In a long letter to Ruth a few days before the press conference, Fuchs promised Ruth a share in the Braves' profits, with the possibility of becoming co-owner of the team. Ruth had become the best pitcher at St. Mary's, and when he was 18 in 1913, he was allowed to leave the premises to play weekend games on teams that were drawn from the community. It puts Earle Combs . [230] According to sportswriter W. A. Phelon, after the 1920 season, Ruth's breakout performance that season and the response in excitement and attendance, "settled, for all time to come, that the American public is nuttier over the Home Run than the Clever Fielding or the Hitless Pitching. They were briefly silenced when Ruth hit a three-run home run off Charlie Root in the first inning, but soon revived, and the Cubs tied the score at 44 in the fourth inning, partly due to Ruth's fielding error in the outfield. Ridiculus sociosqu cursus neque cursus curae ante scelerisque vehicula. Babe Ruth's Young Death Might Have Been Prevented Today. Before long, Ruth stopped hitting as well. [44], In March 1915, Ruth reported to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for his first major league spring training. [171], While the barnstorming tour was underway, Ruppert began negotiating with Boston Braves owner Judge Emil Fuchs, who wanted Ruth as a gate attraction. [169] When the time came, Ruppert wanted Ruth to leave the team without drama or hard feelings. Ruth started and won Game 2, 21, in 14 innings. Did Merkle Touch Second?6. [184], Ruth played much golf and in a few exhibition baseball games, where he demonstrated a continuing ability to draw large crowds. The new commissioner, Happy Chandler (Judge Landis had died in 1944), proclaimed April 27, 1947, Babe Ruth Day around the major leagues, with the most significant observance to be at Yankee Stadium. Feb 8 2018. But before his death, he surmised it. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Who Was the First Black in the Majors?3. His last conscious act was reportedly autographing a copy of his autobiography for one . Babe Ruth Net Worth. "[80], According to Marty Appel in his history of the Yankees, the transaction, "changed the fortunes of two high-profile franchises for decades". [207] Having lost 80 pounds (36kg), he was discharged from the hospital in February and went to Florida to recuperate. Babe Ruth's real name is George Herman Ruth Jr. and he was born in Baltimore, Maryland. [147] Shawkey, a former Yankees player and teammate of Ruth, would prove unable to command Ruth's respect. Gehrig, in turn, took offense at what he perceived as Ruth's comment about his mother. February 6, 1895. [142], Although the Yankees started well, the Athletics soon proved they were the better team in 1929, splitting two series with the Yankees in the first month of the season, then taking advantage of a Yankee losing streak in mid-May to gain first place. Rye Golf Club was among the courses he played with teammate Lyn Lary in June 1933. Some versions have Ruth running away before the eagerly awaited game, to return in time to be punished, and then pitching St. Mary's to victory as Dunn watched. Author: Categories: . The boys, aged 5 to 21, did most of the work around the facility, from cooking to shoemaking, and renovated St. Mary's in 1912. [1][2] Only one of young Ruth's seven siblings, his younger sister Mamie, survived infancy. Ruth promised the child that he would hit a home run on his behalf. Introduced along with his surviving teammates from 1923, Ruth used a bat as a cane. Babe Ruth net worth: Babe Ruth was an American professional baseball player who had a net worth of $800 thousand at the time of his death. This included Barry, who was a player-manager, and who joined the Naval Reserve in an attempt to avoid the draft, only to be called up after the 1917 season. Ruth hit .378, winning his only AL batting title, with a league-leading 46 home runs. [50] Ruth's nine shutouts in 1916 set a league record for left-handers that would remain unmatched until Ron Guidry tied it in 1978. Once it was agreed, Frazee informed Barrow, who, stunned, told the owner that he was getting the worse end of the bargain. [222][223] The property was restored and opened to the public in 1973 by the non-profit Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.[222] Ruth's widow, Claire, his two daughters, Dorothy and Julia, and his sister, Mamie, helped select and install exhibits for the museum. Did Babe Ruth Call His Shot?11. Over the . That play did not open until 1925, however, by which time Frazee had sold the Red Sox. "[229] According to Glenn Stout, "Ruth's home runs were exalted, uplifting experience that meant more to fans than any runs they were responsible for. In August, shortly before the baseball rosters expanded, Ruth sought an opportunity to return as an active player in a pinch hitting role. However, the Yankee job was never a serious possibility. Others have Washington Senators pitcher Joe Engel, a Mount St. Mary's graduate, pitching in an alumni game after watching a preliminary contest between the college's freshmen and a team from St. Mary's, including Ruth. The crowd for Game Three included New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Democratic candidate for president, who sat with Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak. [59], The United States' entry into World War I occurred at the start of the season and overshadowed baseball. Because Roger Connor stood 63 and weighed 220 pounds. [224][225] In his history of the Yankees, Glenn Stout writes that "Ruth was New York incarnateuncouth and raw, flamboyant and flashy, oversized, out of scale, and absolutely unstoppable". Who Was Babe Ruth? Was Ed Delahanty Murdered?5. Two of Ruth's victories were by the score of 10, one in a 13-inning game. When Ruth died in August 1948, Robinson was an honorary pallbearer. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", he began his MLB career as a star left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the . [145] Athletics manager Connie Mack selected him to play right field in the first Major League Baseball All-Star Game, held on July 6, 1933, at Comiskey Park in Chicago. [13] How Ruth came to play baseball there is uncertain: according to one account, his placement at St. Mary's was due in part to repeatedly breaking Baltimore's windows with long hits while playing street ball; by another, he was told to join a team on his first day at St. Mary's by the school's athletic director, Brother Herman, becoming a catcher even though left-handers rarely play that position. On August 16, 1948, at 8:01p.m., Ruth died in his sleep at the age of 53. [90] Nevertheless, on September 4, he both tied and broke the organized baseball record for home runs in a season, snapping Perry Werden's 1895 mark of 44 in the minor Western League. His performance during the 1922 season had been disappointing, attributed in part to his drinking and late-night hours. [32], On July 11, 1914, Ruth arrived in Boston with Egan and Shore. Published Works: Playing the Game: My Early Years in Baseball, The Babe Ruth Story, Babe Ruth's Own . Babe Ruth is a mythic figure in American baseball history. Preface.1. On April 27, 1947, the Yankees hosted Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium. A 13-year-old boy . Helen died in a fire in Watertown on Jan. 11, 1929. . While visiting him, the chaplain said to Ruth, "I'll return in the . The relationship between Ruth and McCarthy had been lukewarm at best, and Ruth's managerial ambitions further chilled their interpersonal relations. Shortly thereafter, he returned to the hospital for the final time. Ruth was not alone in this chase. Yankees business manager Harry Sparrow had died early in the 1920 season. Dunn explored a possible move by the Orioles to Richmond, Virginia, as well as the sale of a minority interest in the club. In the first two games in Pittsburgh, Ruth had only one hit, though a long fly caught by Paul Waner probably would have been a home run in any other ballpark besides Forbes Field. The season had been shortened because the government had ruled that baseball players who were eligible for the military would have to be inducted or work in critical war industries, such as armaments plants. I'm only asking for three. Ruth collapsed in Asheville, North Carolina, as the team journeyed north. "[16], The school's influence remained with Ruth in other ways. He broke the record four days later against the Yankees at the Polo Grounds, and hit one more against the Senators to finish with 29. He had been a convert to Catholicism while attending . Who Was Casey at the Bat?4. This is Babe Ruth's last message. On March 7, 1914 , George Herman Ruth Jr. hit his first home run as a professional baseball player and gained the nickname "Babe" in Fayetteville. Ruth became a shirtmaker and was also proficient as a carpenter. [9], Around this time, developments in chemotherapy offered some hope for Ruth. Throughout his career, Ruth led the AL in home runs during a season 12 times. Shame . He was encouraged in his pursuits by the school's Prefect of Discipline, Brother Matthias Boutlier, a native of Nova Scotia. "[149] Exactly two months later, a compromise was reached, with Ruth settling for two years at an unprecedented $80,000 per year. Published May 1, 2021. [148], On January 7, 1930, salary negotiations between the Yankees and Ruth quickly broke down. The books were timed to capitalize on the increase in public interest in Ruth as Hank Aaron approached his career home run mark, which he broke on April 8, 1974. After a slow start, the Yankees were soon locked in a tight pennant race with Cleveland, winners of the 1920 World Series. Hunt Auctions announced Saturday that a Babe Ruth New York Yankees road jersey dating to 1928-30 sold for $5.64 million, breaking the world record. [200][201] Claire, much unlike Helen, was well-travelled and educated, and went on to put structure into Ruth's life, like Miller Huggins did with him on the field. Only 19, the law at the time stated that Ruth had to have a legal guardian sign his baseball contract in order for him to play professionally. Ruth opted to go on his trip, despite Barrow advising him that he was making a mistake; in any event, Ruth's asking price was too high for the notoriously tight-fisted Navin. [45] Ruth was ineffective in his first start, taking the loss in the third game of the season. His big swing led to escalating home run totals that not only drew fans to the ballpark and boosted the sport's popularity but also helped usher in baseball's live-ball era, which evolved from a low-scoring game of strategy to a sport where the home run was a major factor. After the handshake Babe Ruth hit a home . [240] As he approached Ruth's record, Aaron stated, "I can't remember a day this year or last when I did not hear the name of Babe Ruth. [80] The $100,000 price included $25,000 in cash, and notes for the same amount due November 1 in 1920, 1921, and 1922; Ruppert and Huston assisted Frazee in selling the notes to banks for immediate cash. In the baseb. [100][101][102], The Yankees had high expectations when they met the New York Giants in the 1921 World Series, every game of which was played in the Polo Grounds. Ernie Shore was called in to relieve Ruth, and was allowed eight warm-up pitches. The Morning Call. is gino 'd acampo daughter mia adopted; Blog ; 13 Dec, 2021 by ; bitlife fraternity answers; 2019 4runner running boards; Tags how to pronounce grandmother in hebrew . In Cobb's case, the incidents were sometimes marked by violence. The original company to market the confectionery, the Curtis Candy Company, maintained that the bar was named after Ruth Cleveland, daughter of former president Grover Cleveland. Although he played all positions at one time or another, he gained stardom as a pitcher. He was still occasionally used as a pitcher, and had a 137 record with a 2.22 ERA. The friend relayed a promise from Ruth (who did not know the boy) that he would hit a home run for him. Ruth became an icon of the social changes that marked the early 1920s. The winning pitcher, Warhop, would in August 1915 conclude a major league career of eight seasons, undistinguished but for being the first major league pitcher to give up a home run to Babe Ruth. Fullerton, Hugh. He was able to travel around the country, doing promotional work for the Ford Motor Company on American Legion Baseball. He hit two in the first game of the series, including one off of Paul Hopkins, facing his first major league batter, to tie the record. Ruth matched that on July 29, then pulled ahead toward the major league record of 25, set by Buck Freeman in 1899. In and out of the hospital in Manhattan, he left for Florida in February 1948, doing what activities he could. Yankee Stadium, "the House that Ruth Built", was replaced after the 2008 season with a new Yankee Stadium across the street from the old one; Monument Park was subsequently moved to the new venue behind the center field fence. Conscription was introduced in September 1917, and most baseball players in the big leagues were of draft age. This was more than two times the largest sum ever paid to a ballplayer up to that point and it represented 40% of the team's player payroll. Despite Ruth's off-year, the Yankees managed to win the pennant and faced the New York Giants in the World Series for the second consecutive year. It is uncertain why Carrigan did not give Ruth additional opportunities to pitch. The elder Ruth then became a counterman in a family-owned combination grocery and saloon business on Frederick Street. On August 16, 1948, baseball legend George Herman Babe Ruth dies from cancer in New York City. Ruth retired on June 2 after an argument with Fuchs. Now, he could hardly swallow . [59][139], Before the 1929 season, Ruppert (who had bought out Huston in 1923) announced that the Yankees would wear uniform numbers to allow fans at cavernous Yankee Stadium to easily identify the players. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. Reach Companythe maker of baseballs used in the major leagueswas using a more efficient machine to wind the yarn found within the baseball. Ruth was also enjoined from any action or misbehavior that would compromise his ability to play baseball. Tom Stevens, a retired civil engineer who grew up in New Hampshire and who, like his mother, became a fan of the Babe's two . In a game against the Phillies the following afternoon, Ruth entered during the sixth inning and did not allow a run the rest of the way. No Comments . Three years earlier, he was one of the first five players elected to the hall. With the major leagues shorthanded because of the war, Barrow had many holes in the Red Sox lineup to fill. As early as May 12, he asked Fuchs to let him retire. She was a 16-year-old waitress at Landers Coffee Shop, and Ruth related that she served him when he had breakfast there. [108][110], Despite his suspension, Ruth was named the Yankees' new on-field captain prior to the 1922 season. In the Series, Giants manager John McGraw instructed his pitchers to throw him nothing but curveballs, and Ruth never adjusted. Art LaFleur. [117] The ballpark was designed with Ruth in mind: although the venue's left-field fence was further from home plate than at the Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium's right-field fence was closer, making home runs easier to hit for left-handed batters. Grimes denied his request, citing Ruth's poor vision in his right eye, his inability to run the bases, and the risk of an injury to Ruth. By 1916, he had built a reputation as an outstanding pitcher who sometimes hit long home runs, a feat unusual for any player in the pre-1920 dead-ball era. . , a character actor who often appeared as a cop, coach or tough guy and played Babe Ruth in "The Sandlot," has died after a battle with Parkinson's. He was 78. [208] By then, his voice was a soft whisper with a very low, raspy tone. [130] Ruth had hit his fourth home run of the Series earlier in the game and was the only Yankee to reach base off Alexander; he walked in the ninth inning before being thrown out to end the game when he attempted to steal second base. The country had been hit hard by both the war and the 1918 flu pandemic and longed for something to help put these traumas behind it. George Herman Ruth "Babe Ruth" was an American At the time, it was believed that Ruth developed throat cancer from his drinking and smoking habits, but that may not be the case; as noted by the New York Times, Babe probably died of a rarer form of cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma. [112] On May 25, he was thrown out of the game for throwing dust in umpire George Hildebrand's face, then climbed into the stands to confront a heckler. During his time there he also played third base and shortstop, again unusual for a left-hander, and was forced to wear mitts and gloves made for right-handers. [115], During the 1923 season, the Yankees were never seriously challenged and won the AL pennant by 17 games. Ruth hit a career-high 45 doubles in 1923, and he reached base 379 times, then a major league record. To keep Ruth and his bat in the game, he was sent to play left field. Ruth and Ruppert signed it on November 11, 1922. [202], Although Ruth was married throughout most of his baseball career, when team co-owner Tillinghast 'Cap' Huston asked him to tone down his lifestyle, Ruth said, "I'll promise to go easier on drinking and to get to bed earlier, but not for you, fifty thousand dollars, or two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars will I give up women. "[228], Montville suggested that Ruth is probably even more popular today than he was when his career home run record was broken by Aaron. In 2005, the Baby Ruth bar became the official candy bar of Major League Baseball in a marketing arrangement.[252]. [95] The two men quickly made a deal with Frazee for New York to acquire some of the players who would be mainstays of the early Yankee pennant-winning teams, including catcher Wally Schang and pitcher Waite Hoyt. Ruth retired in 1935 after a partial season with the Boston Braves, ending his 22-year big league career with 714 home runs. Of the 10 shutout decided without extra innings, AL president Ban Johnson stated, "That was one of the best ball games I have ever seen. "Babe" was, at that time, a common nickname in baseball, with perhaps the most famous to that point being Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher and 1909 World Series hero Babe Adams, who appeared younger than his actual age.