Comments for Views from the Grandstand http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand The Blog of BabeRuthCentral.com Tue, 07 Sep 2010 04:20:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 Comment on Was Babe the Best Ballplayer Ever? by Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=3#comment-4594 Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:37:26 +0000 http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=3#comment-4594 In addition to the figures in your GREAT BOOK, THE YEAR BABE RUTH HIT 104 HOME RUNS, there are the much hidden figures not discussed therein as i mentioned in our phone conversation. 1)-The difference in mound height, 18" and 15" compared to today's 10" arrived at after Bob Gibson's Left Hander's Record ERA of 1.12 2)-The difference in liveliness of the baseballs. At age 58, I hit a Spaulding/Reach baseball 437 feet for a home run with my model 43 H&R Bat. That was 22 feet farther than I ever hit a ball between ages 15-22. The ball was considerably livelier than the balls used in Ruth's era. 3)-As you pointed out, the CF fences were on average then 450 feet and alley's 405+ feet, to the averages now of CF fences 405 feet and alley's 380 feet. 4)-The Ball changes now in which the balls are always white, to when Ruth played when they were usually yellow/green/brown by the 2nd-3rd inning and only changed if lost on HR's or fouls out of reach. 5)-My figures however, show Ruth hitting for a higher batting average than .342 and certainly higher than the .327 you stated. Ted Williams overlapped both era's and except for missing several years and getting older, his HR production went up considerably per time at bat and he won a BA crown at .388. Had he played during the two wars his average would have stayed above .350 and he would have finished in the range of .348-.352. Ruth, I believe with better technologies for training and weight control would have been in the same to a higher range as would Williams. In smaller parks of today many of his fly-outs would have been doubles+ and I believe he would have been walked as much or far more than Barry Bonds. He said if he didn't swing for home runs he would hit .600. My projections show him hitting between .352-.365, sliders notwithstanding. No one throws the Hubbell Grove Screwball anymore. As I say in my book (forthcoming) "We were given only one Imhotep, One Moses, one Jesus, One FDR and One Babe Ruth, which is one more of each than we deserve." In addition to the figures in your GREAT BOOK, THE YEAR BABE RUTH HIT 104 HOME RUNS, there are the much hidden figures not discussed therein as i mentioned in our phone conversation.

1)-The difference in mound height, 18″ and 15″ compared to today’s 10″ arrived at after Bob Gibson’s Left Hander’s Record ERA of 1.12
2)-The difference in liveliness of the baseballs. At age 58, I hit a Spaulding/Reach baseball 437 feet for a home run with my model 43 H&R Bat. That was 22 feet farther than I ever hit a ball between ages 15-22. The ball was considerably livelier than the balls used in Ruth’s era.

3)-As you pointed out, the CF fences were on average then 450 feet and alley’s 405+ feet, to the averages now of CF fences 405 feet and alley’s 380 feet.

4)-The Ball changes now in which the balls are always white, to when Ruth played when they were usually yellow/green/brown by the 2nd-3rd inning and only changed if lost on HR’s or fouls out of reach.

5)-My figures however, show Ruth hitting for a higher batting average than .342 and certainly higher than the .327 you stated. Ted Williams overlapped both era’s and except for missing several years and getting older, his HR production went up considerably per time at bat and he won a BA crown at .388. Had he played during the two wars his average would have stayed above .350 and he would have finished in the range of .348-.352.

Ruth, I believe with better technologies for training and weight control
would have been in the same to a higher range as would Williams. In smaller parks of today many of his fly-outs would have been doubles+ and I believe he would have been walked as much or far more than Barry Bonds. He said if he didn’t swing for home runs he would hit .600. My projections show him hitting between .352-.365, sliders notwithstanding. No one throws the Hubbell Grove Screwball anymore. As I say in my book (forthcoming) “We were given only one Imhotep, One Moses, one Jesus, One FDR and One Babe Ruth, which is one more of each than we deserve.”

]]> Comment on Julia Ruth Stevens in MA for Babe Ruth League World Series by Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=15#comment-4593 Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:07:26 +0000 http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=15#comment-4593 Aside from My Grand Dad and Babe Ruth looking very much alike and living through the same era, my grand dad, Louis Iuzzolino, who founded the first Illinois Integrated AFL-CIO Union, played ball with and captained two historic teams which won the Chicago City Championships. I have a Trophy cup of one of them called The All Nations Team in which players of several races played; Native Americans were among the several nationalities. My grand dad who was a friend of Hack Wilson's played against black teams as well. He met Ruth on two occasions. Grandpa Lou, known as "Cap," was an excellent defensive catcher and a moderately successful hitter, standing 5'-7", 180 pounds. He was signed or invited to Spring Training by the Chicago White Sox, but left because he was homesick and never returned. However, he made a strong impression on the team and kept in close touch. He held Sunday Morning buffet luncheons at his home for years in which Politicians, writers, artists and athletes attended, and my mom, then single, but younger than Lyons recalled his attendance at the buffets him very early in his career. Both he and my mom died the same year, 1986, he was 85 she was 83. Aside from My Grand Dad and Babe Ruth looking very much alike and living through the same era, my grand dad, Louis Iuzzolino, who founded the first Illinois Integrated AFL-CIO Union, played ball with and captained two historic teams which won the Chicago City Championships. I have a Trophy cup of one of them called The All Nations Team in which players of several races played; Native Americans were among the several nationalities. My grand dad who was a friend of Hack Wilson’s played against black teams as well. He met Ruth on two occasions. Grandpa Lou, known as “Cap,” was an excellent defensive catcher and a moderately successful hitter, standing 5′-7″, 180 pounds. He was signed or invited to Spring Training by the Chicago White Sox, but left because he was homesick and never returned. However, he made a strong impression on the team and kept in close touch. He held Sunday Morning buffet luncheons at his home for years in which Politicians, writers, artists and athletes attended, and my mom, then single, but younger than Lyons recalled his attendance at the buffets him very early in his career. Both he and my mom died the same year, 1986, he was 85 she was 83.

]]> Comment on Was Babe the Best Ballplayer Ever? by Ronald Bolin http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=3#comment-296 Ronald Bolin Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:09:42 +0000 http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=3#comment-296 He was the best, the quick answer that will silence the critics is this: He is only player in the history of the game to be in the top ten in career Batting Average, Home Runs, and RBI's. He is also in the top 20 in career ERA as a pitcher. He was the best, the quick answer that will silence the critics is this:

He is only player in the history of the game to be in the top ten in career Batting Average, Home Runs, and RBI’s. He is also in the top 20 in career ERA as a pitcher.

]]> Comment on About by Maccabeus Morris http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?page_id=2#comment-9 Maccabeus Morris Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:38:40 +0000 http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?page_id=2#comment-9 Great blog and website! Much appreciation! I need someone's help please. I have an autographed book "THE BABE IN RED STOCKINGS" . In it are the autographs of the three authors and... Linda Ruth Tosetti. A Mr. "Tim Byrd" may be the original owner of the book because he signed and dated it 6-25-97, the year the book was published. Concerning this book, I have just a few questions about its history, from an autograph viewpoint, and just a couple simple others. Can anyone there help me with my questions? Thank you, Maccabeus Morris Great blog and website! Much appreciation!

I need someone’s help please. I have an autographed book “THE BABE IN RED STOCKINGS” . In it are the autographs of the three authors and… Linda Ruth Tosetti.

A Mr. “Tim Byrd” may be the original owner of the book because he signed and dated it 6-25-97, the year the book was published.

Concerning this book, I have just a few questions about its history, from an autograph viewpoint, and just a couple simple others. Can anyone there help me with my questions?

Thank you,
Maccabeus Morris

]]> Comment on Was Babe the Best Ballplayer Ever? by Rowan Campbell http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=3#comment-3 Rowan Campbell Sat, 12 May 2007 13:15:23 +0000 http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=3#comment-3 I think Babe Ruth was the best Baseball player ever. He dominated the sport for more than a decade. His power hitting was legendary. He set many records first player with 50 homeruns and 60 homeruns. The Babe could hit for average a life time ba of 342, power 714 Homeruns, hit 506 doubles, 136 3b's and he stole 123 bases. He collected 2873 hits in 8399 at bats. He scored 2174 runs and drove in 2217 His life time slugging is an awsome 690 . He walked 2056 times and had a life time obp of 474. He set many records 467 homeruns from 1920-1929. He won 12 homerun titles and 6 rbi titles. He had a slg% of 700 or more 8 times and 800 + twice. The Babe had a remarkable eye at the plate. The Babe is by far the number one player of all time. The sultan of Swat became the first true powerful slugger. The Babe was also a very good defensive right fielder with a marvelous throwing arm. He also was an oustanding hitter in the world series hitting 333 with 15 homeruns and 33 rbi's his slugging pct% was 744 vand his obp was 467. I think for decades the world will know the Titon of Terror. As a huge Babe Ruth I think he is the hercules of baseball. I think Babe Ruth was the best Baseball player ever.
He dominated the sport for more than a decade.
His power hitting was legendary.
He set many records first player with 50 homeruns and 60 homeruns.
The Babe could hit for average a life time ba of 342, power 714 Homeruns, hit 506 doubles, 136 3b’s and he stole 123 bases.
He collected 2873 hits in 8399 at bats.
He scored 2174 runs and drove in 2217
His life time slugging is an awsome 690 .
He walked 2056 times and had a life time obp of 474.
He set many records 467 homeruns from 1920-1929.
He won 12 homerun titles and 6 rbi titles.
He had a slg% of 700 or more 8 times and 800 + twice.
The Babe had a remarkable eye at the plate.
The Babe is by far the number one player of all time.
The sultan of Swat became the first true powerful slugger.
The Babe was also a very good defensive right fielder with a marvelous throwing arm.
He also was an oustanding hitter in the world series hitting 333 with 15 homeruns and 33 rbi’s his slugging pct% was 744 vand his obp was 467.
I think for decades the world will know the Titon of Terror.
As a huge Babe Ruth I think he is the hercules of baseball.

]]> Comment on Don’t Tear Down Yankee Stadium by Mary http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=6#comment-2 Mary Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:24:10 +0000 http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=6#comment-2 Agree with you again. I don't see the need to destroy Shea Stadium either. It will have fewer seats, but more VIP boxes. I guess its just a way to get more jobs for construction companies. I hate seeing our history torn down just for the revenues. Agree with you again. I don’t see the need to destroy Shea Stadium either. It will have fewer seats, but more VIP boxes. I guess its just a way to get more jobs for construction companies. I hate seeing our history torn down just for the revenues.

]]> Comment on Was Babe the Best Ballplayer Ever? by Mary http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=3#comment-1 Mary Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:19:08 +0000 http://baberuthcentral.com/grandstand/?p=3#comment-1 That's an excellent essay. I agree 100%, also a very good comparison to Jeter's fighting spirit and heart which makes him one of the most exciting players in the game today. That’s an excellent essay. I agree 100%, also a very good comparison to Jeter’s fighting spirit and heart which makes him one of the most exciting players in the game today.

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