1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: All Right, as we close in on the World Series 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: and the end of the baseball season, it kind of 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: seems like the perfect time to look back at probably 4 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: the most legendary player in baseball history, Babe Ruth. 5 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 2: Now, this guy was a. 6 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:19,799 Speaker 1: Wild man, an unbelievable player, but also a huge eater, drinker, womanizer, 7 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: and troublemaker. Plus his path to the New York Yankees 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: and the house at Ruth built was fascinating. I'm Patty 9 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: Steele breaking all the rules and turning baseball into a 10 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: massive payday. That's next on the backstory. We're back with 11 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: the backstory. September is an absolutely gorgeous month, fresh air, 12 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: blue skies, the start of the NFL season, and the 13 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: baseball season wraps up with the World Series. But doesn't 14 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: it freak you out that there are guys playing baseball 15 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: for around seven months a year that make hundreds of 16 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: millions of dollars off of it. I mean, Soto signed 17 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: a fifteen year deal with the New York Mets for 18 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,959 Speaker 1: seven hundred and sixty five million dollars. That's fifty one 19 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: million dollars a year, or almost ninety thousand bucks each 20 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: time he steps up to the plate. How ironically, in 21 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:19,199 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen, Soto won the Babe Ruth Award exactly one 22 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: hundred years after Babe Ruth was sold to the New 23 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: York Yankees by the owner of the Boston Red Sox. 24 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: Sportswriters say Sodo's stats are similar to Babes and that 25 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: he's on track to challenge all time records that are 26 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: still held by Babe. Two guys that changed the game. 27 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: Babe Ruth was born in eighteen ninety five in a 28 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 1: section of Baltimore called Pigtown Nice Start. He was one 29 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: of seven kids, but only he and his little sister 30 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,559 Speaker 1: survived to adulthood. His dad owned a saloon and wasn't 31 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: much of a father. With Babe skipping school, running in 32 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: the streets, and drinking beer, his dad said he ran 33 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: out of ideas on how to discipline the kid, who, 34 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: by the way, was only seven years old, and so 35 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: Babe then was sent to a Catholic orphanage and reform 36 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: school for delinquent boys. He spent most of the next 37 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 1: twelve years there. It turned out to be a blessing. 38 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: Babe learned some discipline, gathered some skill sets like tailoring, 39 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,359 Speaker 1: and most importantly, the school's head of discipline, brother Matthias, 40 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 1: mentored Babe and taught him how. 41 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 2: To properly hit a baseball. 42 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,679 Speaker 1: Now. On the downside, food at the school was scarce, 43 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: and folks that knew him say Babe's lifelong obsession with 44 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: food probably stemmed from the. 45 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 2: Deprivation he went through there. 46 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 1: By the time he was eighteen, Babe was leaving the 47 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: school on weekends to go play baseball for local teams. 48 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: In nineteen fourteen, at nineteen years old, he was signed 49 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: by the minor league Baltimore Orioles, and he was off. 50 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: He headed a spring training in North Carolina. It was 51 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: his first trip outside of Baltimore in his entire life. 52 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 1: That same year, he sold to the Boston Red Sox. 53 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: After a kind of rocky start, he stepped up his game. 54 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: He definitely had a big mouth, and his teammates weren't fans. 55 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: They called him the Big Baboon and would sometimes saw 56 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: his bats in half before he arrived at the ballpark. 57 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: Even though he had married Helen, a sixteen year old waitress, 58 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: pretty soon after arriving in Boston, he also had more money, 59 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 1: and that's when he started to indulge his appetite for food, liquor, 60 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: and women. By nineteen nineteen, he was pretty much the 61 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: Red Sox main attraction. Now, the problem is the team's owner, 62 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: Harry Fraser, was actually less interested in baseball than he 63 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: was in theater. He was financing his stage shows by 64 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: selling off the Red Sox best baseball players. So when 65 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: Babe wanted to raise from ten thousand dollars a year 66 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: to twenty thousand, he said he'd leave the team if 67 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: he didn't get it prize. He didn't believe him, but 68 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: Babe was determined. After all, nineteen nineteen he had twenty 69 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: nine homers. 70 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 2: The next highest. 71 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: Number in baseball that year was twelve, So Frase decided 72 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: his best option was to sell his best player. It 73 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: was a tough negotiation with the Yankees, who in the 74 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: end bought Babe for one hundred thousand dollars in cash, 75 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: the most ever paid for a ballplayer, doubling the previous 76 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: high of fifty thousand bucks. They also gave Frasey a 77 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: loan of three hundred thousand dollars to pay off debts 78 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: on Fenway Park. In a press conference to tell Boston 79 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: the news, phrase said no other club could afford to 80 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: give the amount the Yankees have paid for him, and 81 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: I don't mind saying I think they're taking a gamble. 82 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,720 Speaker 1: While Ruth is undoubtedly the greatest hitter the game has 83 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: ever seen, he is likewise one of the most selfish 84 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 1: and inconsiderate men ever to put on a baseball uniform. Well, 85 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 1: Boston fans were furious and they didn't buy phrase putting 86 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: the blame on Babe. The Boston Post had a cartoon 87 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: showing historic Fenel Hall and the Boston Public Library with 88 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: for sale signs on them. They said no local landmark 89 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: was safe with Harry Frazie in town. For the Boston 90 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: Red Sox, it was the curse of the Bambino, as 91 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: Babe was called. The team never won another World Series 92 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: until two thousand and four, but Babe was beginning his 93 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: historic run with the Yankees. The money started pouring in. 94 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 1: By nineteen twenty six, he was making fifty two thousand 95 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,919 Speaker 1: dollars a season. That was a fortune back then. So 96 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 1: far he'd made about a million dollars from baseball, as 97 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: well as through syndicated newspaper articles, the movies, vaudeville exhibition 98 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: games after the regular season, and by endorsing ice cream 99 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: baseball shoes, caps, suspenders, and tons of other stuff, But 100 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: he had no clue how to handle money. He spent 101 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: it as fast as he made it. He bet as 102 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 1: much as twenty six thousand dollars on a single horse 103 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: race and lost. After visiting Cuba, he was forced to 104 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: cancel his ticket home because he owed sixty five thousand 105 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: dollars to bookies. Fortunately, his wife had saved plenty of 106 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: money and invested it, so she bailed him out. A 107 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: close friend who was a writer for the New Yorker 108 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: magazine wrote an article about Babe. He said he was 109 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: a bit of a hypochondriac, but, as he put it, 110 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 1: continued to devour unheard of quantities of murderous food at 111 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: astonishingly frequent intervals. For breakfast, he'd have four eggs and 112 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 1: a large steak, coffee, and a pint of bourbon, among 113 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: other things. While at the ballpark, he'd eat up to 114 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: eight hot dogs and drink a half gallon of Coca cola. 115 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: A typical dinner was two Porterhouse steaks, a plate of 116 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:48,239 Speaker 1: fried potatoes, two heads of lettuce drenched in blue cheese dressing, 117 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: and an entire apple pie. And that didn't include a 118 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 1: very similar late night dinner his New Yorker pals set. 119 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 1: After drinking and partying with random girls, Babe loved to 120 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: hunt for frogs late at night, attaching a light to 121 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: his rifle before heading out. He went on to say 122 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: that at one point his manager begged Babe to stop 123 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: the craziness and take care of himself. So Babe agreed 124 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: and went to bed early and rose early, stopped the 125 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: excess of women, liquor, and food for exactly three days, 126 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: during which time he failed to make a single hit, 127 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: let alone a home run. Babe exploded and stormed out. 128 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: In fact, he stayed out all night, went to the 129 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: ballpark with only an hour's sleep, and then in one game, 130 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: hit two of his longest home runs ever. Said his 131 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: New Yorker pal, he is simply a freak, but a 132 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: lovable one. The Yankees agreed, In fact, they shared in 133 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: the cost of building a tunnel from Babe's golf club 134 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: into Yankee Stadium so Babe could play until the very 135 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: last minute and still make the game. But they knew 136 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: how vulnerable he was, and the team owners finally resorted 137 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: to having him followed by detail actives to protect him 138 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: from himself. As well as from con artists, blackmailers, bookies, gamblers, and, 139 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: as they. 140 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 2: Put it, scheming young ladies. 141 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: Babe Ruth definitely changed the way ballplayers were paid for 142 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: their talent. Despite his wild lifestyle, Babe managed to survive 143 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: to the age of fifty eight. When he died of 144 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: cancer in nineteen forty eight. A baseball writer said about him, 145 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: if sport has become the national religion, then Babe Ruth 146 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: is the patron saint. He stands at the heart of 147 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: the game. He played the promise of a warm summer night, 148 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,840 Speaker 1: a bag of peanuts and a beer, and just maybe 149 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: the longest ball hit out of the ballpark. I hope 150 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: you're enjoying the Backstory with Patty steel Please leave a 151 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,440 Speaker 1: review and follow or subscribe for free to get new 152 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: episodes delivered automatically. Also feel free to DM me if 153 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:55,679 Speaker 1: you have a story you'd like me to cover. On Facebook, 154 00:08:55,679 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: It's Patty Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele. I'm 155 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:11,119 Speaker 1: Patty Steele. The Backstories a production of iHeartMedia, Premiere Networks, 156 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: the Elvis Durant Group and Steel Trap Productions. Our producer 157 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: is Doug Fraser. Our writer Jake Kushner. We have new 158 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Feel free to reach out 159 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: to me with comments and even story suggestions on Instagram 160 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 1: at real Patty Steele and on Facebook at Patty Steele. 161 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to the Backstory with Patty Steele, the 162 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: pieces of history you didn't know you needed to know.