"• the BABE's FORBES FIELD FAREWELL James C
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% * « V 0 i }. * "• THE BABE'S FORBES FIELD FAREWELL James C. Reynolds BRISK chillingbreeze whipped along the steel girders supporting Forbes Field, creating a haunting mournful sound which projected Alost, images of long cheering, ghostly crowds. Here and there, puddles gathered along stairways and the sparkling green outfield grass reflected drops of moisture. As the heavy dark morning clouds rapidly receded, the temperature climbed into the low 50s. Aspring day began to show promise. It was noon, Saturday, May 25, 1935, when the stadium gates swung open. Forbes Field seated over 30,000, but on this day only 10,000 would attend. The early morning showers, plus the promise of a game meaningless to the standings, discouraged attendance. The Pirates fielded a good first division club under player manager Pie Traynor, but itlacked the ingredients to be a serious contender. The visiting club, the Boston Braves, were going nowhere. James C. Reynolds is a writer inBeaver Falls, Pa., where he was also the mayor for a time. This article is adapted from his unpublished book manuscript about Babe Ruth that focuses on Ruth's last weekend as a player inPittsburgh. Information for this article came primarily from coverage inthe Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph and Pittsburgh Press (both defunct now), as wellas from interviews with former Pirate stadium announcer ArtMcKenna and former Pirate first baseman Gus Suhr, and from the dozens of books on Ruth. 75 Boston was the consistent last place team of the National him capable, ithad become such an obsession that Yankee owner League. Under manager BillMcKecknie, itwas staffed withaging Colonel Jacob Ruppert used itas a weapon against Ruth. Conse- veterans and untried youngsters. The team's only true attraction, quently he arranged a nefarious deal withBoston Braves owner slugging center-fielder Wally Berger, would eventually lead the Judge Emil Fuchs. Ruppert humiliated Ruth by offering him a league inhome runs with34. However, this season another contract for a dollar, while the Judge dangled a contract as a player, attraction had been added which caused most of the fans to pay stock-holder, and assistant manager. Withchild-like belief, Ruth the admission. Babe Ruth was playing. The immortal home run signed the deal and happily returned toBoston and the National king, the greatest baseball player and gate attraction of all time, League. was ignobly closing his magnificent career insad fashion, playing Nowitwas the near the end of Mayand Babe was bitter, withan inept team which would lose 115 games by season's end. It disillusioned and heartsick. His opinion was not sought on any was a pathetic climax which the curious came to witness. matter involving the team and his only responsibility was to Besides Ruth, eight other future hall of famers would be on informMcKecknie of his fitness toplay. He was tired and had the field that day. For the Pirates, there were: Pie Traynor; Honus contracted his usual spring chest cold, which had lingered on, Wagner, first-base coach and Pittsburgh's own; out-fielding sapping his huge body of its remaining strength. His eyes watered brothers Paul and Lloyd Waner (BigPoison and Little Poison); continually, he was heavily congested, his legs were weak and his pitcher Waite Hoyt;and shortstop ArkyVaughn, who would win coordination limited. He should have remained inhis suite at the the batting title witha .385 average. For the Braves, there were nearby Hotel Schenley. manager BillMcKecknie and veteran shortstop Walter "Rabbit" As his familiar form appeared on the field for the pre-game Maranville. warm-up a number of fans, especially youngsters, applauded George Herman Ruth began his career as a consistent 20- loudly This was who they had paid to see. But this Babe was a game winningpitcher for the Boston Red Sox in1914. But no cruel caricature of the legend. He was batting .180 withjust three pitcher orplayer had ever hit home runs and only six runs batted in.He hit a home run on a balllikeRuth, and upon his opening day inBoston and then managed only twomore. three-game series, 4When the 41-year-old trade to the New York This was the final game inthe withthe Yankees in1920, the Babe Pirates having won the first two.Over inthe Pirate locker room, Shlgger'S power became- a full-time right- manager Traynor was holding the usual pre-game meeting with dimitlished aildhiS fielder He immediately the team. Normally he would have writtenhimself in,but he was astounded the sports world suffering withan abscessed nose which kept him on the bench or production fellOftill withhis prolific total of coaching at third. He gave the veteran hurler, Red Lucas, the nod 1934, Yankee management home runs and the amazing that day. When Ruth's name came up, some of the players laughed distances they traveled. snorted that he constituted no threat and was a "has been." coldly get and decided to rid Throughout the decade of Right- fielder Paul Waner, however, reminded his teammates that Of filtti ~ [BoStOIIOffered] the 1920s and early '30s though the big guy had only twoharmless singles inthe previous Babe was undisputed at-bats, deep a contract as aplayer, the games, coming on his last the Babe had slammed champion of sports; no drives to the fence, barely caught. He may have been old and fat, tide?* and athlete was so universally buthe was stilldangerous. Pitcher Waite Hoyt then spoke up. Ruth's, tmanager With popular orloved. He led the Hoyt, a former a star withthe Yankees and a teammate of Yankees to seven pennants was ending his brilliant career withthe Pirates. "There is no safe belief 9RUth anc|four worldchampion- way topitch to the Babe," he warned. "He has no weakness at the ldeal and ships as the most feared plate. You're better off to walkhim ina dangerous situation." A *•* hitter of "Murderers Row." few players laughed and hooted at the suggestion. Traynor went /^7\ Known also as the "Bambi- onto the next name on the lineup. ' ' Swat," ClC M no t ie "Sultan °f On the field,Babe posed for some pictures witha dozen of May- the f the "Maharajah youngsters who had won a contest sponsored by Pittsburgh hem," the "Bamer," the Sun-Telegraph. He autographed some balls and spoke withthe "Prince of Pounders" and sportswriters. "Ishould have had two homers inthis series," he "Jidge" byhis teammates, he chuckled, "but the windheld them in.Tilstart hittingbetter when set a new home run record in1919 with29, breaking the old the weather warms up and this chest cold breaks up." During record of 17 established in1884. In the 1920s, he hit over 50 home batting practice, he split his favorite bat and wouldhave to use a runs in four seasons, with60 in1927. new one inthe game. But that was the past, and baseball is a business withlittle Never awed by the vast dimensions of Forbes Field, Ruth did room for sentiment. When the 41-year-old slugger's power admit he wouldn't have enjoyed having itfor his home park. At diminished and hisproduction felloff in1934, Yankee manage- 365 feet down the left fieldline to the Scoreboard, and 300 feet to ment coldly decided to get ridof him. For years Ruth had pleaded the right field wall,itangled sharply to 330 feet toward center. A and demanded an opportunity to manage. While no one believed nightmare ballpark for sluggers, the left-center brick wall stood an 76 Pittsburgh History, Summer 1995 unbelievable 457 feet from home plate. During the 1925 Yankee- Pirates World Series, Babe had hit a pair ofhome runs there and had also smacked several during various exhibitions. But he was younger and healthier then. The Babe, batting third, came up to the plate inthe first inning withshortstop Bob Urbanski on second and one out. Ruth stood at the plate, moving ever so slightly as the firstpitch was taken for a ball. Throughout his career, Ruth was feared for his intense concentration on the pitcher. On the second pitch, the Babe unleashed his graceful, powerful swing and drove the ball deep to right field. Paul Waner raced to the wall,but amidst the rousing cheers the ball sailed into the lower deck, giving the Braves a 2-0 lead. Successive hits then drove Lucas from the mound, but reliever Guy Bush retired the side. Bush was no stranger to the Babe. As a Chicago Cub, he had faced Ruth during the 1932 World Series (in which the Babe hit his famous alleged "called shot" offof Charlie Root). During that series, Ruth had also stung Bush for two savage singles while Bush had struck Ruth in the arm witha fast ball. Neither was fond of the other. The score was unchanged when Ruth strode to the plate in the third inning. Again Ruth found Urbanski on second withone out. Bush worked the Babe to a full count. Ruth leaned into the pay-off pitch and the ball sailed —into the upper right field tier directly above an iron exitgate 431 feet from home plate. Only New York Giant firstbasemen BillTerry had ever hit one there. speck, players from both dugouts ran onto the field to watch. The Bambino's was a towering clout, and itwas now Babe 4, Right-fielder Paul Waner never moved. The ball sailed over the Pittsburgh 0. roof, something never done before. After the game, chief usher The Braves pitcher, Huck Bretts, had allowed the Pirates to tie Gus Millerlearned the ballhad hit the roof of a house at 318 the score when the Babe's turn atbat came again inthe fifth Bouquet Street, ascertained to be about 600 feet from home plate.