Babe Ruth came to Pittsburgh to play in official games twice. Once was during the 1927 World Series, and the other was in 1935, when his career was near its end with the Boston Braves.
(If there were exhibitions or barnstorming games, they're outside the scope of this article. And for the purpose of the 1927 Series, the focus here is entirely on Ruth in Pittsburgh. A piece on the World Series as a whole is a project for another time.)
Ruth's 60 home runs in 1927 cemented his place as the biggest star in the game, so he was the center of attention. As the regular season ended, with the Pirates pulling out the National League pennant on the next-to-last day, Babe said, "Well, I guess today's game settles it and we go to Pittsburgh.
"I don't see how we can lose more than one game even if the breaks go against us."
The Yankees arrived at Union Station on Monday, October 3. They were among the first guests at the newly-opened Roosevelt Hotel. New York took some morning batting practice before the rains came. They batted once around, and Ruth found the right field stands. According to The Pittsburgh Press' Lou Wollen, "Ruth's smash landed in the centerfield end, and had it been 10 feet higher, it would have undoubtedly entered the upper tier of seats."
At a Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Pie Traynor claimed that he could he "could eat Babe Ruth under the table." The Post-Gazette said that "The Babe grinned when informed of the challenge. Those who saw the slugger tuck away a lamb chop, hashed brown potatoes, rolls and coffee for breakfast doubted that Traynor could have been in earnest."
And Ruth's syndicated/ghost-written column appeared in that day's Press, contradicting his quote from the weekend. "I figure we're due for a battle every minute, and I don't think the thing will be decided in less than six games."
On Oct. 4, the day before the series started at Forbes Field, the front page of The Press noted that "The busting Bambino lifted no less than half a dozen balls into the right field stands, and some of them carried into the upper tier." He also visited The Press, which described four photos in the Oct. 5 edition this way: "Babe Ruth, the Home Run King, visited The Press building yesterday. He came around to dictate his special story on the world series, which appears in today's Sport Section. The picture above on the left shows him reading the story of the Yankees' doings here yesterday, seated in the sports department. Above, on the right, he is seen in the composing room, watching Sporting Editor (Ralph) Davis and Joe Korta, one of the makeup men, plan one of today's sport pages. Below, on the left, he is discussing points in his story with the sporting editor. Below, on the right, the Babe is telling a crowd of interested office boys how he smacks out home runs."
The morning of Oct. 5, the Post-Gazette's front page article by Regis M. Welsh on that afternoon's game focused on Ruth.
"[T]he greatest figure in baseball, a player whose individual deeds have outshone the triumphs of Mathewson, Combs, Wagner, Cobb, Collins, Johnson, McGraw, Jennings and other greats, will enter into his eighth world series, attempt- [sic] three home runs in one game and four in one world series. And that is the time when necks will crane, cheers will rise, hearts will flutter. Only once before has Ruth been on the scene of today's conflict, and that in an exhibition, when he wafted one high and far beyond the confines of the park. That day, 33,000 fans went wild with joy."
The 42,000 on hand for Game 1 were excited to see the Babe, as well. The Press' Davis wrote that "The cheer that went up just before the game started was a whisper compared with that which greeted the inimitable Babe Ruth on his first appearance at the plate. Fans pleaded with (Ray) Kremer to strike him out, but Babe started out by making the first hit of the series, a single down the right field line ...
"(Lou) Gehrig followed with a short fly to right, on which Paul Waner tried to make a shoestring catch. The ball got through him, and the hit went for a triple, Ruth scoring the first run of the series."
The Post-Gazette summed it up this way: "The Yankees beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5 to 4, and the local rooters were even more downcast in defeat when Babe Ruth failed to hit a home run."
The Oct. 6 Press had a complete rundown of Ruth's Game 1:
Babe Ruth, the hard-hitting gentleman who clouts home runs on enough occasions to be the leader by several city blocks, failed to do any long-distance mauling yesterday. However, listed among his activities for the day in the first game of the series were three particularly effective singles.
The home run king's complete performance was as follows:
FIRST INNING, YANKS. Hit first pitch of Kremer's for single to right field. Scored on Gehrig's triple to right.
FIRST INNING, PIRATES. Made clever catch of (Clyde) Barnhart's liner. Fielded P. Waner's double, sending Lloyd Waner to third. Caught Traynor's drive after hard chase.
THIRD INNING, YANKS. Singled for second time to right field on first pitch. Hit advanced (Mark) Koenig to third. Went to second when Gehrig walked. Reached third when (Bob) Meusel walked, forcing in Koenig. Scored when (Tony) Lazzeri forced Meusel at second.
THIRD INNING, PIRATES. Fielded Kremer's long double to right center.
FIFTH INNING, YANKS. Ball one, high. Grounded out to (George) Grantham, unassisted, sending Koenig to third.
SIXTH INNTNG, PIRATES. Snared (Joe) Harris' fly. Came in fast to get Earl Smith's pop up.
SEVENTH INNING, YANKS. (John) Miljus pitching this time. First pitch slow ball high and outside. Singled to center on second heave for third hit cf game. Trapped between first and second with Gehrig at bat. The play was Miljus to (Glenn) Wright to Harris.
SEVENTH INNING, PIRATES. Caught Barnhart's high fly for third out of inning.
EIGHTH INNING, PIRATES. Fielded Wright's single to right. That concluded Babe's efforts for the day."
And Davis pointed out that "Ruth had a busy afternoon of it both before and during the game. The moment he entered the field he was besieged by photographers and moving picture men, and he got little time to do any real practicing.
"After posing about 50 times, he finally broke away for a moment and said: "Gosh, I gotta smash one, fellows. Just a minute." He strode to the plate, fouled one off, then raised a weak fly near first base, and then smashed one into the lower right field stands. On the next pitch he lofted one into the upper tier.
"Of course, this was all in practice, but it gave the early comers a big thrill."
The Yankees won Game 2, 6-2, and the next day's Press described Ruth's day this way:
The Yankees won their second straight series game yesterday but Ruth did not play any part in the hitting end of it. Babe went to the bat three times but failed to get a hit.
A complete description of Ruth's play yesterday is as follows:
FIRST INNING YANKS. Strike one. inside curve. Ball one. inside. Strike two, foul along first base line. The Babe missed a third strike and (Vic) Aldridge got a great hand from the crowd.
FIRST INNING PIRATES. Caught Barnhart's sacrifice fly which scored Lloyd Waner. Gathered in Wright's fly easily.
THIRD INNING YANKS. Ball one, high and outside. Ball two, high. Lifted a high, sacrifice fly to Lloyd Waner scoring Koenig.
FOURTH INNING PIRATES. Caught Harris' fly for the third out of the inning.
FIFTH INNING YANKS. Ball one, outside. Ball two, inside. Ball three, high and outside. Ball four, high and outside. Babe walked. Went to second on Gehrig's long sacrifice fly.
SEVENTH INNING YANKS. Ball one, outside. Ball two, high. Grounded out to Harris, unassisted.
SEVENTH INNING PIRATES. Fielded Grantham's double against wall in right field.
EIGHTH INNING. YANKS. Ball one, low. Grounded to Grantham who threw to (Johnny) Gooch, forcing (George) Pipgras at the plate.
The Oct. 7 Post-Gazette pointed out that "Babe Ruth failed to satisfy the Pirate fans when he didn't connect for a home run in the two contests, and it seems they will have to forego the sight of the Bam slamming one into the seats for this year at least. But special delight resulted and the roar of thousands filled the air when the Big Bambino swung mightily and missed the third strike in the first inning. Whether in smashing out a home run or striking out, Ruth is a colorful figure and one of the greatest actors in baseball. While the roar was one of approval when he struck out, as the Pirates were still in the game in the first, the regret when he failed to connect with the bases full in the eighth was genuine. The Yankees were so far ahead that nobody gave a rap, and practically everyone was pulling for the Babe to wallop one into the stands as the damage had already been done beyond repair. But Ruth's best effort was a tap to the infield, on which the runner on third was forced at the plate. Ruth failed to connect for a safe hit, but his long sacrifice in the third figured in one of the Yankee runs."
In his syndicated column, Babe said, "Well, it won't be long now.
"So far I've only one regret in this series. I'm sorry I haven't been able to show the Pirate fans a home run during the two games, for I'm afraid it's my last chance.
"Just between you and me I don't think we'll come back there again."
He was right; New York won the next two games to sweep the series. And he didn't get back to Pittsburgh for another eight years.
By 1935, Ruth was 40 years old and not nearly the player he had been. He would have liked to manage the Yankees, but Joe McCarthy was happy and successful in that job. So when the Boston Braves made him an offer to be a player, vice president and assistant manager, Ruth jumped at the chance. Unfortunately for Babe, the Braves had their own future Hall of Fame manager in former Buc skipper Bill McKechnie, who also was in no hurry to give up his job. So Ruth was ready to retire, but the Braves convinced him to stick around long enough for all the NL teams to have their Babe Ruth Days.
So when the Braves came to Pittsburgh in May, 1935, they had two attractions. One was Ruth, of course. The other was former Pirate Rabbit Maranville. On May 21, the Post-Gazette reported that they were working with McKechnie to get Ruth and Maranville as instructors for their Saturday morning baseball class. Rabbit accepted, but Babe didn't.
The Braves arrived for their three-game series May 23. The Pirates planned to give Maranville a gift before the Thursday game, then there was a testimonial banquet at the Hotel Schenley that night. The Post-Gazette noted that "Even the appearance of the great Babe Ruth has failed to overshadow the welcome being prepared the Rabbit by his many Pittsburgh friends."
Post-Gazette sports editor Havey J. Boyle wrote of Maranville, "Here he spent the rowdy part of his career, rivalling in eccentricity at times the fabulous Waddell, and building up a legend that will stand the re-telling for many years to come.
"Later, he settled down and became, instead of an example, a model of the big leagues -- steady in personal conduct, brilliant on the field, and showing a fortitude in facing obstacles that offered an object lesson to everyone in any line.
"Little wonder that Pittsburgh friends who knew him as a Pirate have united to give him a tribute tonight."
Ruth talked to The Press in his Hotel Schenley suite before the series started. "Lookie there," he said, pointing to Forbes Field, "that darned wind is blowing in toward home plate again. An hour ago it was blowing out toward the right field stands. Ever see anything like that? And doesn't it ever get hot in Pittsburgh?"
He claimed that once the weather warmed up and he got to know National League pitching, he'd start showing people something.
He didn't show them much in the series opener, going 0 for 4 in a 7-1 Pirate victory. Attendance was listed at 10,000.
During batting practice, though, Volney Walsh of The Press wrote that "Old Hank Gowdy was pitching to the Bostons in practice yesterday when the Great Man caught hold of one and lifted it high, high up on the roof of the right field stands at Forbes Field. A pigeon, two robins and a battalion of sparrows fled in alarm as the white ball thudded on the tar thatch and with a long, arching bounce disappeared in the direction of Panther Hollow."
When he got back to the bench, he took a dip of tobacco and sat with Walsh. "'Do they hit over the top of that thing very often?' he wanted to know. The reporter assured him it was not done frequently, and the Great Man seemed to relish the thought, turning it over in his mind several times and chuckling at the idea that there were still a few things the old boy could do that the young punks couldn't."
The Post-Gazette's "What the Bam Did" summary:
AT BAT.
First inning -- Fanned, swinging at third strike.
Fourth inning -- Flied to Paul Waner.
Sixth inning -- Robbed of extra base hit by Paul Waner's leaping one-handed catch against right field wall.
Eighth inning -- Popped to (Arky) Vaughan.
IN THE FIELD.
Fifth inning -- Caught Paul Waner's fly.
Boyle wasn't impressed. "As the Babe showed yesterday, there is still some of the historic power running through his system, but only a man of his past would be tolerated in the outfield.
"His delinquencies in the field, of course, cannot be held against him as it too much to expect of the once great star to compete on even terms with the younger men about or to measure even close to their standard.
" ... Added to his baseball senility yesterday were the puzzling angles of the right field fence at Forbes Field which offer trouble even to the stalwarts of the game. Balls hitting the concrete out there do funny things and the Babe, unaccustomed to the billiard playing necessary to catch the angles, was, to put it mildly and politely, ineffective as he chased what must be called the elusive sphere."
Maranville was given a set of golf clubs before the game and fouled out as a ninth-inning pinch-hitter. At the banquet that night, former president of city council James F. Malone presented Rabbit with a loving cup and a cash present. But the big moment was Ruth's speech, and Babe was surprisingly emotional.
Shortly after he started speaking, Ruth said, "I know Rabbit and I love him -- I love him as my own brother." Then he started sobbing. After a couple minutes of silence, Babe got out a "Dammit," and more silence ensued until the band started playing. The assembled celebrants got to their feet and started to cheer, and Ruth eventually collected himself enough to continue.
He talked about what Maranville meant to the game. "And baseball can't afford to lose him and if it ever does then you'll hear me criticize baseball, and, dammit, I think I have a say coming."
In his remarks, Rabbit reminded his friends first that it had been eight years since his last drink, "and inferred smilingly that he had taken enough before that to do him the rest of his life."
The next day, the Braves scored four unearned runs in the ninth, but it wasn't enough to catch the Pirates, who won, 7-6.
The Post-Gazette's "What the Bam Did":
AT BAT.
First inning -- Struck out, swinging.
Fourth inning -- Singled to center.
Fifth inning -- Fouled high to (Tom) Padden near Pirate bench.
Eighth inning -- Robbed of long hit by one-handed catch of Paul Waner's against right field wall.
IN THE FIELD.
Fourth inning -- Took Paul Waner's easy fly. Made a sensational diving catch of Vaughan's liner.
Fifth inning -- Took (Tommy) Thevenow's fly.
Seventh inning -- Took Thevenow's fly."
Joe Mowry came in for Ruth and walked and scored in the ninth.
That night, the Reds beat the Phillies in the first major league night game, which started in Cincinnati at 9 p.m.
Then, on Saturday, May 25, Pirate fans finally got what they had been looking for.
The Babe hit three home runs to right field, tying his personal high for a game. The third was the first to be hit over the right field roof, which was erected in 1925.
Apparently, The Press had arranged a quick promotional appearance by the Babe, complete with "a dandy box lunch."
In the first inning, with a man on second and one out, Ruth homered off Red Lucas. Walsh described it as "a long, towering fly out to right and the ball barely cleared the screen and dropped into the lower deck." Guy Bush relieved Lucas before the inning ended.
In the third, with a man on first and one out, Ruth struck again. "The ball lighted in the second deck of the right-field stands out toward center beyond the screen."
In the fifth inning, he singled to left to drive in Les Mallon from second. The Press noted that shortstop Vaughan had been shifted behind second; had he been in his normal position, he would have made the play. Walsh also noted that "Just to show there's life in the old legs yet, he raced from first to third on a single with a great thundering sprint, slid into the bag and was ruled safe."
In the seventh, the Bam came up with one out and nobody on. After taking three balls along with a swing-and-miss, "Then came a half-speed curve ball. The Great Man unloosened his bat, took a tremendous swing and the ball traveled high and far toward the right field stands. Pirate players stood in their tracks to watch the flight of the ball. It was a home run all the way and when the ball disappeared behind the stands, there was a mighty roar from the crowd of 10,000.
"Ruth trotted around the bases, lifted his cap as he crossed the plate and trotted on through the Pirate dugout to the clubhouse. He had concluded his day's work with one of the great shows for which he is famous and convinced one and all that he is still the mightiest of them all."
The Braves added another run in the seventh to tie the game, 7-7, but the Pirates scored three in the home seventh and one in the eighth to win, 11-7.
In the field, Earl Grace flied to Ruth in the second. In the sixth, Babe "picked a line-drive off Bush's bat. scampering in toward the infield to pluck the ball out of the air just off his knees," then ended the inning by catching Woody Jensen's fly.
In Monday's Post-Gazette, chief usher Gus Miller described his efforts to ascertain how far Ruth's third home run had traveled. He said the ball hit a housetop at 318 Bouquet Street, bounced off that and onto another roof some distance further. And he estimated that the Bouquet St. location was no less than 600 feet from home plate.
A bit less fancifully, Al Abrams talked to a number of impressed Pirates. Hans Wagner summed it up: "I've seen some great hitters, and long distance hits in my day, but none like the Babe's on Saturday. He's the greatest home run hitter of all time."
When the Associated Press talked to Pirate pitcher Mace Brown in 1995, he said that Ruth told him, "Boy, that last one felt good," as he stopped on the bench on his way through the dugout. It turned out to be the 714th and final home run of the Babe's legendary career. The Braves went from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, then Philadelphia, thus allowing Ruth to play in every National League ballpark. He made his last appearance against the Phillies May 30, and announced his retirement shortly thereafter.
The right field roof was 86 feet high. There were a total of 18 home runs hit over it. Not too surprisingly, Willie Stargell hit seven of them. But the first was always listed as Babe Ruth's 714th, which was quite a souvenir to leave Pittsburgh.
