Babe Ruth - Remembering the Bambino in Stories, Photos & Memorabilia
NY Times (edited)
HIGHEST PURCHASE PRICE IN BASEBALL HISTORY
PAID FOR GAME'S GREATEST SLUGGER
NEW YORK - Tuesday - January 6, 1920. Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox, baseball's super-slugger, was purchased by the Yankees yesterday for the largest cash sum ever paid for a player. The New York club paid Harry Frazee of Boston $125,000 for the sensational batsman who last season caused such a furor in the national game by batting out twenty-nine home runs, a new record in long-distance clouting.
Colonel Ruppert, President of the Yanks, said that he had taken over Ruth's Boston contract, which has two years more to run. This contract calls for a salary of $10,000 a year. Ruth recently announced that he would refuse to play for $10,000 next season, although the Boston club has received no request for a raise in salary.
Manager Miller Huggins is now in Los Angeles negotiating with Ruth. It is believed that the Yankee manager will offer him a new contract which will be satisfactory to the Colossus of the bat.
President Ruppert said yesterday that Ruth would probably play right field for the Yankees. He played in left field for the Red Sox last season, and had the highest field average among the outfielders, making only two errors during the season. While he is on the Pacific Coast, Manager Huggins will also endeavor to sign Duffy Lewis, who will be one of Ruth's companions in the outfield at the Polo Grounds next season.
The acquisition of Ruth strengthens the Yankee club in its weakest department. With the added hitting power of Ruth, Bob Shawkey, one of the Yankee pitchers, said yesterday the New York club should be a pennant winner next season. For several seasons the Yankees have been experimenting with outfielders, but never have been able to land a consistent hitter. The short right field wall at the Polo Grounds should prove an easy target for Ruth next season and, playing seventy-seven games at home, it would not be surprising if Ruth surpassed his home-run record of twenty-nine circuit clouts next Summer.
Ruth was such a sensation last season that he supplanted the great Ty Cobb as baseball's greatest attraction, and in obtaining the services of Ruth for next season the New York club made a ten-strike which will be received with the greatest enthusiasm by Manhattan baseball fans.
Ruth's crowning batting accomplishment came at the Polo Grounds last Fall when he hammered one of the longest hits ever seen in Harlem over the right field grandstand for his twenty-eighth home run, smashing the record of twenty-seven, made by [Ned] Williamson way back in 1884. The more modern home-run record, up to last season, had been held by Buck Freeman, who made twenty-five home runs when a member of the Washington club in 1899. The next best home-run hitter of modern times is Gavvy Cravath, now manager of the Phillies, who made twenty-four home runs a few seasons ago.
Ruth's home-run drives were distributed all over the circuit, and he is the one player known to the game who hit a home run in every park on the circuit in the same season...
Manager Huggins is expected back in New York at the end of next week with Ruth's contract in his inside pocket. It is believed that the New York club will not try to hold Ruth to the Boston contract which he has decided is unsatisfactory.
The new contract which the Yankees have offered Ruth is said to be almost double the Boston figure of $10,000 a year. While he is out on the coast interviewing Ruth, Huggins is also getting into line not only Duffy Lewis, but also Bob Meusel, the sensational young slugger of the Pacific Coast League, who is regarded by baseball scouts as the minor league find of the year…
Ruth's principle of batting is much the same as the principle of the golfer. He comes back slowly, keeps his eye on the ball and follows through. His very position at the bat is intimidating to the pitcher. He places his feet in perfect position. He simply cannot step away from the pitch if he wants to. He can step only one way – in. The weight of Ruth's body when he bats is on his left leg. The forward leg is bent slightly at the knee. As he stands facing the pitcher, more of his hips and back are seen by the pitcher than his chest or side. When he starts to swing, his back is half turned toward the pitcher. He goes as far back as he can reach, never for an instant taking his eye off the ball as it leaves the pitcher's hand.
The greatest power in his terrific swing comes when the bat is directly in front of his body, just half way in the swing. He hits the ball with terrific impact and there is no player in the game whose swing is such a masterpiece of batting technique.
