Babe Ruth

George Herman Ruth, (b. February 6, 1895, d. August 16, 1948), better known as Babe Ruth, also commonly known by the nicknames The Bambino and The Sultan of Swat, was an American baseball player and United States national icon. He was one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and he was the first player to hit over 30, 40 and 50 home runs in one season. His record of 60 home runs in the 1927 season stood for 34 years until it was broken by Roger Maris in 1961. He also was a member of the original American League All-Star team in 1933. In 1998, The Sporting News named Ruth as Number One in its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players."

"The Bellyache Heard Around the World"

During spring training in 1925, Ruth began suffering severe stomach cramps and a fever. His condition gradually became worse, and on April 7, while the Yankees were staying in Asheville, North Carolina, a weakened Ruth completely collapsed in a bathroom. It was agreed Ruth needed to return to New York to recover, and he was accompanied by Paul Krichell, a noted Yankees scout. Ruth's collapse was not newsworthy until one London newspaper ran a headline that Ruth was dead, a story Krichell quickly quelled when Ruth's train reached Washington, DC. By the time their train reached Pennsylvania Station in New York, Ruth was wrapped in blankets and unconscious, and his body had to be lifted out of a train window. During the wait for an ambulance, Ruth had briefly opened his eyes and saw his wife Helen and Ed Barrow, his former Red Sox manager now the Yankees general manager. Shortly later, Ruth became delirious and flailed his arms and legs uncontrolably, and needed to be held down by those around him. On the ambulance ride to St. Vincent's hospital, Ruth again suffered a couple more convulsive attacks that were so violent it took six assistants to hold him down. He was given a sedative, and by the time the ambulance reached the hospital Ruth was calm.

Related Topics:
Spring training - 1925 - Stomach - Fever - April 7 - Asheville - North Carolina - Bathroom - New York - Scout - London - Newspaper - Train - Washington, DC - Pennsylvania Station - Unconscious - Ambulance - Eye - Ed Barrow - Delirious - Sedative - Hospital

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Examined by Dr. Edward King, Ruth's personal physician, Dr. King diagnosed Ruth as having a touch of the flu and an intestinal attack. Dr. King agreed to let Ruth rejoin the team, but after another week, Ruth's fever became worse, and after another examination, Dr. King now diagnosed Ruth as having an 'intestinal abscess', and he would need surgery. The surgery, performed on April 17, took only 20 minutes and was called a complete success.

Related Topics:
Physician - Flu - Intestinal - Abscess - Surgery - April 17

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Dr. King stated Ruth's diet was the problem, as Ruth had not watched how much he ate and drank. Ruth's weight was high at this time, up to about 256 pounds. It was writer W.O. McGeehan who invented the story that Ruth's collapse was caused by over-indulging on hot dogs and soda pop before a game, a fanciful story which led to Ruth's illness being dubbed "the bellyache heard around the world." This story wasn't that far-fetched, as Ruth, noted for episodes of gluttony, frequently did eat hot dogs before games, and he would wash them down with bicarbonate of soda to keep from feeling bloated.

Related Topics:
Diet - Weight - Pounds - Hot dogs - Soda pop - Gluttony - Bicarbonate of soda

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Some newspaper reporters whispered that Ruth actually had a bad case of gonorrhea, but no one seemed to be willing to put this assertion in print. An old teammate of Ruth's vouched for the venereal disease story, saying it was the entire reason for Ruth's problems. A case of gonorrhea would have not been out of the question for the promiscuous Ruth, and some of his symptoms of chills, fever, and general pain are associated with some more complicated symptoms of gonorrhea. Still, abdominal surgery is a very unusual treatment for veneral disease, even during this medical age, and Ruth did have a clear visible scar running from just under his rib cage to his left lower abdomen. Evidence would suggest Ruth's illness was what physicians had stated, but it is possible Ruth may have had both problems, with physicians intentionally not mentioning the veneral problems.

Related Topics:
Newspaper - Gonorrhea - Venereal disease - Chills - Fever - Pain - Abdominal - Scar - Rib cage - Abdomen

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After six weeks of recovery, Ruth rejoined the Yankees on May 26. He had lost 30 pounds, (14 kg) was weak and out of condition, but he was insistent on being back in the lineup. He clearly came back too soon. In July, he was only hitting about .250 as he struggled miserably trying to find his swing. Eventually he regained some of his strength and managed to get somewhat on track, but he finished with a .290 average and 25 home runs in 98 games. Except for the last couple years at the end of his career, the 1925 season was easily Ruth's worst season in the majors.

Related Topics:
May 26 - Pounds - July - 1925

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The Yankees 1925 season went as badly as Ruth's season. Some injuries, age, and poor play had them at the bottom of the standings all year, and they finished next to last in the A.L. with a 69-85 mark. Later in the season, Ruth had a well publicized fight with manager Miller Huggins, who fined Ruth $5000 and suspended him nine days for numerous curfew violations. Only after an apology to Huggins and the team was he allowed to play again, and Ruth would never again question Huggins authority. One bright spot of the season was first baseman Wally Pipp being benched for a game on June 2 that put a young Lou Gehrig in the lineup, a lineup Gehrig stayed in for the next 2,130 consective games.

Related Topics:
1925 - Injuries - Manager - Miller Huggins - Curfew - First baseman - Wally Pipp - June 2 - Lou Gehrig

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After his poor 1925 season, Ruth dedicated himself to improving his physical condition, and he worked out hard each off-season. Ruth's weight would stabilize at about 230-235 pounds, and over the years he replaced body fat with muscle. He had turned 30 in 1925, and he went on to have some of his best seasons after this age, a time in sports when the great majority of ball players were past their prime (or out of the game) by the time they reached 30. Ruth remained a highly productive player until age 38, a testament that Ruth was a far better athlete than often given credit for.

Related Topics:
Fat - Muscle - 30 - Sports - 38

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