Babe Ruth's called shot
On the first of October, 1932, the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs met at Wrigley Field for Game 3 of the World Series. The atmosphere was thick with hostility before a single pitch was thrown. Yankee manager Joe McCarthy held a grudge against the Cubs organization because they had fired him in 1930 despite his team winning the National League pennant that same year. Tensions escalated further due to Mark Koenig, a player who had been traded from the Yankees to the Cubs mid-season. Cubs players voted to give Koenig only half of his World Series bonus, an action his former teammates viewed as a direct insult. Before Game 1 began, Babe Ruth shouted insults at Koenig, calling his new teammates cheap bums. This sparked a shouting match between the dugouts that continued through Games 1 and 2. By the time the teams arrived at Wrigley Field for Game 3, Chicago fans were cursing and spitting on Ruth and his wife Claire.
In the fifth inning, the score stood tied at four runs apiece when Charlie Root took the mound for the Cubs. Fans pelted Ruth with lemons while he stood in left field earlier in the game. As he stepped into the batter's box, the crowd hurled more insults at him. Ruth had already hit one home run and nearly made a spectacular catch that he missed, allowing the Cubs to tie the game. He took strike one from Root. With the count at one strike, Ruth held up his hand pointing toward either Root, the Cubs dugout, or center field. He took strike two and repeated this pointing gesture after each subsequent pitch. The next pitch was a curveball that Ruth hit to the deepest part of center field near the flagpole. Estimates place the distance at up to 490 feet, though the corner marker sat at 440 feet. The ball landed in temporary seating behind the bleachers on Sheffield Avenue. Broadcaster Tom Manning shouted over the radio that the ball was going high into the center-field stands before declaring it a home run.
Reporter Joe Williams wrote a headline for the New York World-Telegram that read RUTH CALLS SHOT AS HE PUTS HOME RUN NO. 2 IN SIDE POCKET. This phrase borrowed terminology from billiards to describe the event. Williams' summary stated that with the Cubs riding him unmercifully from the bench, Ruth pointed to center and punched a screaming liner to a spot where no ball had been hit before. The wide circulation of Scripps-Howard newspapers gave the story immediate life as many readers assumed its accuracy. Several days later, other stories appeared stating that Ruth had called his shot, some written by reporters who were not even present at the game. At the time, Ruth did not clarify the matter immediately. He initially told Chicago sports reporter John Carmichael that he had not pointed to any particular spot but simply wanted to give the ball a good ride. Soon however, the media-savvy Ruth began going along with the story that he had called his shot. His versions became more dramatic in the years that followed. In his 1948 autobiography, Ruth claimed he had told his wife I'll belt one where it hurts them the most before pointing to center field.
Cubs public-address announcer Pat Pieper insisted that Babe definitely pointed while sitting next to the wall between home plate and third base. He recalled hearing pitcher Guy Bush chide Ruth after two strikes. Pieper remembered Ruth telling Bush That's strike two all right. But watch this. Then Ruth pointed to center field and hit his homer. Associate Justice John Paul Stevens attended the game as a twelve-year-old boy. He stated that his dad took him to see the World Series and they sat behind third base. Stevens said Ruth did point to the center-field scoreboard and hit the ball out of park after pointing with his bat. Lou Gehrig offered a different perspective when asked about the event. He remarked What do you think of the nerve of that big monkey. Imagine the guy calling his shot and getting away with it. Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis watched from the stands but never commented on whether he believed Ruth called the shot. His nephew later claimed Ruth did not call it. Hall-of-Fame catcher Bill Dickey explained that Ruth was just mad about a quick pitch and was pointing at Root, not at the centerfield stands.
In the 1970s, a 16-mm home movie surfaced that some hoped would end the decades-old controversy. The film was shot by an amateur filmmaker named Matt Miller Kandle Sr. Only family and friends had seen the footage until the late 1980s. Two frames appeared in the 1988 book Babe Ruth: A Life in Pictures. The film aired on a February 1994 Fox television program called Front Page. Still images from the film also appeared in filmmaker Ken Burns' documentary Baseball in 1994. The camera angle came from the grandstands behind home plate off to the third base side. While Ruth's gesture is clearly visible, the direction remains uncertain. Some contend his extended arm points more toward the left-field direction near the Cubs bench. In 1999, another 16-mm film made public showed action much more clearly than Kandle's footage. This second film was shot by inventor Harold Warp during the only Major League Baseball game he ever attended. ESPN sold the rights to this footage and aired it as part of their SportsCentury program in 2000. Many who viewed Warp's film feel it shows that Ruth did not call his shot because he appears to be shouting something at Root or the dugout while pointing.
The event has permeated popular culture through numerous films and media references since the 1930s. In the 1984 film The Natural, character The Whammer makes a bat-pointing gesture before striking out. Jim Thome used a similar bat-pointing gesture as part of his normal preparation for an at-bat during his professional career. The climax of the 1989 film Major League depicts Cleveland Indians catcher Jake Taylor pointing toward the outfield before bunting the next pitch. In 2005, the jersey Ruth wore during the game was sold at auction. On the 25th of August 2024, Heritage Auctions sold the same jersey for a record $24.12 million. This sale made it the most expensive sports collectible in history, eclipsing the $12.6 million paid for a Mickey Mantle card in 2022. The Scout from Team Fortress 2 also features a taunt kill referencing the called shot. Despite these cultural echoes, the actual intent behind the gesture remains unknown to historians and fans alike.
Common questions
When did Babe Ruth hit the called shot in the 1932 World Series?
Babe Ruth hit the called shot on the first of October 1932 during Game 3 of the World Series at Wrigley Field. The New York Yankees played against the Chicago Cubs when tensions were high due to previous conflicts between the teams.
Who was the pitcher for the Chicago Cubs when Babe Ruth hit his home run?
Charlie Root took the mound for the Cubs when Babe Ruth hit the famous home run. Pitcher Guy Bush also interacted with Ruth after two strikes according to public-address announcer Pat Pieper.
Where did Babe Ruth point before hitting the called shot home run?
Witnesses disagree on whether Babe Ruth pointed toward center field or the Cubs dugout. Some accounts state he pointed to the center-field scoreboard while others claim he gestured toward pitcher Charlie Root.
What evidence exists regarding whether Babe Ruth actually called his shot?
A 16-mm film by Matt Miller Kandle Sr and another by Harold Warp provide visual evidence but remain inconclusive about the direction of the gesture. Historians and fans continue to debate the actual intent behind the action since no definitive proof exists.
How much did Babe Ruth's jersey from the 1932 game sell for in 2024?
Heritage Auctions sold Babe Ruth's jersey from the 1932 World Series for $24.12 million on the 25th of August 2024. This sale made it the most expensive sports collectible in history surpassing previous records set in 2022.