VOICE ONE:
I’M SHIRLEY GRIFFITH.
VOICE TWO:
AND I’M DOUG JOHNSON WITH THE SPECIAL ENGLISH PROGRAM, PEOPLE INAMERICA. EVERY WEEK WE TELL ABOUT A PERSON IMPORTANT IN THE HISTORYOF THE UNITED STATES. TODAY, WE TELL ABOUT BABE RUTH, AMERICA’SGREATEST BASEBALL PLAYER. SOME SAY HE WAS THE GREATEST SPORTS HEROOF ALL TIME.
((BRIDGE MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
GEORGE HERMAN RUTH WAS BORN IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND INEIGHTEEN-NINETY-FIVE. GEORGE’S PARENTS OWNED A BAR WHERE PEOPLE CAMETO DRINK ALCOHOL. HIS MOTHER DIED WHEN HE WAS VERY YOUNG. HIS FATHERWAS KILLED IN A STREET FIGHT.
YOUNG GEORGE WAS FORCED TO LIVE ON THE STREETS OF BALTIMORE. HESTOLE THINGS. HE FOUGHT WITH OTHER CHILDREN. HE GOT INTO TROUBLE. ATTHE AGE OF EIGHT, HE WAS SENT TO LIVE AT SAINT MARY’S INDUSTRIALSCHOOL FOR BOYS. CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS WORKERS OPERATED THE SCHOOL. THERELIGIOUS WORKERS HELPED GEORGE TO ACT BETTER. AND THEY TAUGHT HIMHOW TO PLAY BASEBALL.
VOICE TWO:
BY THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN, GEORGE WAS AN EXCELLENT BASEBALL PLAYER.IN NINETEEN-FOURTEEN, A TEACHER AT THE SCHOOL WROTE TO A FRIEND OFHIS, JACK DUNN. DUNN WAS THE MANAGER OF THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES MINORLEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM. HE WAS THE ONE WHO DECIDED WHO WOULD PLAY FORTHE TEAM. THE TEACHER INVITED DUNN TO SEE THE YOUNG PLAYER.
DUNN WATCHED GEORGE PITCH THE BASEBALL. HE OFFERED THE YOUNGLEFT-HANDED PITCHER A JOB PLAYING BASEBALL FOR SIX MONTHS. HE SAIDTHE BALTIMORE ORIOLES TEAM WOULD PAY GEORGE SIX-HUNDRED-DOLLARS.
JACK DUNN HAD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOY OR GEORGE COULDNOT LEAVE THE SCHOOL. DUNN DECIDED TO BECOME GEORGE’S LEGAL PARENT.
JACK DUNN AND HIS NEW PLAYER ARRIVED AT THE ORIOLES’ BASEBALLPARK. THE OLDER ORIOLES’ PLAYERS JOKED ABOUT THE NEW YOUNG PLAYER.THEY CALLED HIM, “DUNN’S BABE.” THE YOUNG BASEBALL PLAYER BECAMEKNOWN FOREVER AS BABE RUTH.
VOICE ONE:
THAT YEAR, THE BOSTON RED SOX BASEBALL TEAM BOUGHT THE RIGHT TOMAKE BABE RUTH A PLAYER FOR THEIR TEAM. RUTH PITCHED FOR THE RED SOXTEAMS DURING THE NEXT TWO YEARS. HE BECAME THE BEST PITCHER IN THEAMERICAN BASEBALL LEAGUE. THEN THE RED SOX DISCOVERED THAT HE COULDHIT THE BALL EVEN BETTER THAN HE COULD THROW IT. SO RUTH BECAME ANOUTFIELDER INSTEAD OF A PITCHER. IN NINETEEN-NINETEEN, HE HIT THEBALL OUT OF THE BASEBALL PARK TWENTY-NINE TIMES. HE HIT MORE HOMERUNS THAN ANY OTHER PLAYER THAT YEAR.
((BRIDGE MUSIC))
VOICE TWO:
IN NINETEEN-TWENTY, THE RED SOX SOLD BABE RUTH’S CONTRACT TO THEFAMOUS NEW YORK YANKEES BASEBALL TEAM. THAT YEAR, BABE RUTH HITFIFTY-FOUR HOME RUNS. THIS WAS MORE HOME RUNS THAN ANY OTHERAMERICAN LEAGUE TEAM HIT THAT SEASON. THE NEXT YEAR, HE HITFIFTY-NINE HOME RUNS. BABE RUTH’S BASEBALL SKILL AND FRIENDLY NATUREMADE HIM FAMOUS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD.
MANY PEOPLE CAME TO THE YANKEE GAMES JUST BECAUSE THEY WANTED TOSEE BABE RUTH PLAY. HE HELPED THE TEAM EARN A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY.THE YANKEES BUILT A NEW BASEBALL STADIUM. EVEN TODAY, YANKEE STADIUMIS KNOWN AS “THE HOUSE THAT RUTH BUILT.”
VOICE ONE:
BASEBALL FANS LOVED BABE RUTH BECAUSE HE WAS WHAT SOME PEOPLECALLED “LARGER THAN LIFE.” SPORTS WRITER PAUL GALLICO WROTE THATBABE RUTH PLAYED BALL IN THE SAME INTENSE WAY THAT HE LIVED HISLIFE. GALLICO SAID THAT WHENEVER RUTH HIT A BALL OUT OF THE BASEBALLPARK THE FANS WOULD BECOME SO EXCITED THAT THEY WERE READY TO BREAKTHE SEATS. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO WATCH RUTH SWING HIS BAT WITHOUTEXPERIENCING A STRONG EMOTION. IN FACT, IN NINETEEN-TWENTY, A MANREPORTEDLY DIED OF EXCITEMENT WHILE WATCHING BABE RUTH HIT A HOMERUN.
THE NAME OF BABE RUTH APPEARED SO OFTEN IN THE NEWSPAPERS THATSPORTS WRITERS THOUGHT UP NEW NAMES FOR HIM. THEY CALLED HIM “THESULTAN OF SWAT.” “THE KING OF CLOUT.” “THE BABE.” THEY CALLED HIM”BAMBINO.” SOMETIMES THEY SHORTENED THAT NAME TO “BAM.”
VOICE TWO:
BABE RUTH LED THE NEW YORK YANKEES TO SEVEN CHAMPIONSHIPS,INCLUDING FOUR WORLD SERIES TITLES. HE HIT MORE HOME RUNS THAN ANYOTHER BASEBALL PLAYER. IN NINETEEN-TWENTY-SEVEN, HE HIT SIXTY HOMERUNS. DURING HIS LIFETIME, HE HIT A TOTAL OF SEVEN-HUNDRED-FOURTEENHOME RUNS. BEFORE HE BECAME A POWER HITTER, HE HAD BEEN AMONG THEBEST PITCHERS OF HIS TIME. ALL THESE SKILLS MADE BABE RUTH THEGREATEST PLAYER BASEBALL HAS EVER HAD.
IN NINETEEN-THIRTY, RUTH EARNED EIGHTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS. THIS WASMORE MONEY THAN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, HERBERT HOOVER,EARNED THAT YEAR. REPORTERS ASKED RUTH WHY HE SHOULD BE PAID MORETHAN PRESIDENT HOOVER. RUTH REPORTEDLY SAID, “WHY NOT? I HAD ABETTER YEAR THAN HE DID.”
RUTH ALSO EARNED MONEY BY PERMITTING HIS NAME TO BE USED ON MANYPRODUCTS. A CANDY BAR WAS NAMED AFTER HIM. “BABY RUTH” CANDY BARSSTILL ARE POPULAR TODAY.
((BRIDGE MUSIC))
VOICE ONE:
SOMETIMES, BABE RUTH GOT INTO TROUBLE ON THE BASEBALL FIELD. HEOFTEN ARRIVED LATE. HE GOT ANGRY OFTEN. HE HIT A BASEBALL UMPIRE. HEHAD MANY DISPUTES WITH THE CHIEF BASEBALL OFFICIAL.
IN NINETEEN-TWENTY-ONE, THE YANKEES’ MANAGER SUSPENDED RUTH FROMPLAYING. THE NEXT YEAR, RUTH DID THE WORST THING A BASEBALL PLAYERCOULD DO. HE LEFT THE FIELD DURING A GAME TO CHASE A FAN WHO SAIDSOMETHING HE DID NOT LIKE. HE HAD TO PAY FIVE-THOUSAND DOLLARS FORVIOLATING THE RULES.
VOICE TWO:
BABE RUTH ALSO GOT INTO TROUBLE OFF THE BASEBALL FIELD. HE WAS AVERY LARGE MAN WHO LIKED TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. HE ATE TOO MUCH. HEDRANK TOO MUCH ALCOHOL. HE PLAYED CARDS AND LOST MONEY. HE WENT TONIGHT CLUBS. HE DROVE HIS CAR TOO FAST.
SOME PEOPLE WERE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE WAY HE ACTED. INNINETEEN-TWENTY-TWO, NEW YORK STATE SENATOR JIMMY WALKER APPEALED TOBABE RUTH AT A DINNER OF THE BASEBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION. MISTERWALKER ASKED THE GREAT BASEBALL STAR TO BE A BETTER EXAMPLE TO THECHILDREN OF AMERICA. BABE RUTH STOOD UP WITH TEARS RUNNING DOWN HISFACE. HE PROMISED HE WOULD BE A BETTER PERSON. HE KEPT HIS PROMISE.HE WAS NEVER IN TROUBLE AGAIN.
VOICE ONE:
YET BABE RUTH CONTINUED TO EAT TOO MUCH. IN NINETEEN-TWENTY-FIVE,HE WAS RETURNING ON A TRAIN FROM BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING IN THESOUTH. HE BECAME HUNGRY. HE STOPPED AT A TRAIN STATION. HEREPORTEDLY ATE TWELVE HOT DOG SANDWICHES. HE DRANK EIGHT BOTTLES OFSOFT DRINK.
RUTH DEVELOPED SEVERE STOMACH PROBLEMS. HE WAS TAKEN TO AHOSPITAL IN NEW YORK. BABE RUTH WAS SO SICK THAT DOCTORS HAD TOOPERATE ON HIM. HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR SEVEN WEEKS. MANYAMERICANS WORRIED ABOUT HIM UNTIL HE GOT WELL.
((BRIDGE MUSIC))
VOICE TWO:
BABE RUTH LOVED CHILDREN. IN NINETEEN-TWENTY-SIX, A CHILD NAMEDJOHNNY SYLVESTER LAY IN A HOSPITAL BED. HE WAS VERY WEAK AFTER ANOPERATION. HIS DOCTOR THOUGHT THAT A VISIT FROM JOHNNY’S HERO MIGHTHELP THE BOY GET BETTER. SO BABE RUTH CAME TO THE HOSPITAL. HE WROTEHIS NAME ON A BASEBALL AND GAVE IT TO JOHNNY. HE PROMISED TO HIT AHOME RUN THAT AFTERNOON FOR THE BOY. BABE RUTH KEPT HIS PROMISE. INFACT, HE HIT THREE HOME RUNS THAT DAY.
VOICE ONE:
THERE ARE MANY STORIES ABOUT BABE RUTH AND HIS LIFE. EXPERTS DONOT AGREE ABOUT WHICH ONES ARE TRUE. THE MOST FAMOUS STORY ABOUT HIMCONCERNS THE NINETEEN-THIRTY-TWO WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. THEYANKEES WERE PLAYING THE CHICAGO CUBS IN CHICAGO. RUTH WAS AT BATGETTING READY TO HIT. THE CUBS AND THEIR FANS WERE TRYING TO MAKERUTH ANGRY. THEY INSULTED HIM. RUTH SWUNG HIS BAT AND MISSED THEFIRST PITCH. THE CROWD LAUGHED AT HIM. RUTH SWUNG AND MISSED THESECOND PITCH. THE CROWD MADE MORE NOISES. THEN RUTH POINTED HIS BATAT THE SEATS PAST THE CENTER FIELD OF THE BALL PARK. HE SHOWED THECROWD WHERE HE WOULD HIT THE NEXT BALL. AND THAT WAS EXACTLY WHEREHE HIT THE BALL OUT OF THE PARK.
((BRIDGE MUSIC))
VOICE TWO:
RUTH STOPPED PLAYING BASEBALL IN NINETEEN-THIRTY-FIVE. THE NEXTYEAR HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FIVE PLAYERS TO BE ELECTED TO THEBASEBALL HALL OF FAME. AFTER HE RETIRED AS A PLAYER, HE WANTED TO BEMANAGER OF A BASEBALL TEAM. BUT NO SUCH POSITION WAS OFFERED TO HIM.
RUTH DIED IN NINETEEN-FORTY-EIGHT OF THROAT CANCER. HE WASFIFTY-THREE YEARS OLD.
BABE RUTH IS BURIED NEAR NEW YORK CITY. PEOPLE STILL COME TOVISIT HIS BURIAL PLACE. THEY LEAVE THINGS THERE: A YANKEES BASEBALLHAT. A SMALL AMERICAN FLAG. A BASEBALL. AMERICANS LEAVE THESE THINGSTO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE BABE.
(THEME)
VOICE ONE:
THIS SPECIAL ENGLISH PROGRAM WAS WRITTEN BY SHELLEY GOLLUST. ITWAS PRODUCED BY LAWAN DAVIS. I’M SHIRLEY GRIFFITH.
VOICE TWO:
AND I’M DOUG JOHNSON. LISTEN AGAIN NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER PEOPLEIN AMERICAN PROGRAM ON THE VOICE OF AMERICA.