At 30, weighing 254 (no steroids), he thought it was over

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Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

It was 1925 and this BB player was considering calling it quits. He played only 98 games in 1925; had a mediocre season and
at the season's end he was a "physical wreck". So that December, he sought out professional help by going to a Physical Fit-
ness Gym. This was unheard of back in those days in baseball for players going to gyms and working out with specialists.

He started a rigorous fitness regime at Artie McGovern's NYC gym (Artie was his personal trainer). In 6 weeks he lost 44 lbs
and his physical condition had improved to the point that he felt like "20 again". In 1926 this physical conditioning payed off.

In 1926 he played in 152 games....BA = .372....HR = 47....RBI = 145....SLA = .737

He continued this physical conditioning regime for the remainder of his BB career. This transformation also brought about a
renewed optimism; and, from 1927 - 1933 his career performance was equal to his playing days when he was in his 20's.

You all know who I am talking about....but, were you aware of this story ?

We get carried away thinking of these BB stars in terms of statistics.....so, I found this story to be quite refreshing in the
light of recent events in baseball.

TED Z

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Posted By: Fred C

Ruth

Edited to add I remember reading that he had some health issues in 1925 and everyone thought he was washed up.

Edited to add: nest thing you'll see is someone selling a 1920s syringe that was supposedly used by Ruth to inject himself (in 1925) with some unknown substance.

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Posted By: barrysloate

I think he just cut out hot dogs!

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

If steroids were available to the players in that era they may have used them.

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

When Paul Harvey craps out, you're the new 'Rest of the story' guy Ted........

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Posted By: Darren

Fred,
that unknown substance was flaxdseed oil.

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Posted By: Gary Cieradkowski

In 2002 I took a year off of work and travelled around the country with an exhibit from the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore. We'd set up the exhibit at minor league parks for a few days at a time and then move on to the next stop. I tell you, I have stories to last a lifetime, but my favorite was hearing from people who met the big man, no one had a bad thing to say about him and a few old-times got teary-eyed talking about him. But the fun part was bringing the real Babe to people who only heard the crazy (yet almost always true) stories. People were very surprised to learn how Ruth wasn't always the big rotund guy he is always portrayed as, infact he was quite svelt in his younger days. Something like 120 stolen bases in his lifetime (mostly in the early 20's) and even stole home a few times. He was barrel-chested but strong as an ox, even under the fat later on. In the early 20's he would let himself go to pot by the end of the season and then get in shape during the winter doing physical activity, and later as said before, using a physical trainer.

I am a 3rd generation Yankee-hater and can't stand Boston, but man, I love the Babe!

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

The Babe shaping up in 1925





TED Z

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Your comment...."I tell you, I have stories to last a lifetime"

I found your post very interesting. Could you share some more of your Ruth stories with us ?

TED Z

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

Hi Ted,
I love ya,
But, the most popular things to shoot up in the 1920's were Opium and Speed. Ask the folks who survived Hitler.... Had Human Growth Hormone been around we would have really had a battle at the Bulge..... Be well Brian


PS I spent hundreds of hours with one of Babe's friends and early roomates, who will tell you substances had nothing to do with his talent...


PS Many people don't realize you could buy these drugs in the Sears catalog..

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Posted By: Max Weder

If I recall correctly, wasn't syphillis supposedly the real issue behind the Babe's famous "stomache ache"? I thought I read it in Creamer or Montville's books, but I might be mistaken.

An incredible athlete, and I never get tired of watching the old movies of him hitting a home run and circling the bases.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

I agree with you, good buddy....and that's why I posted this Thread on Ruth's physical fitness program.
Because I'm tired of hearing all the negative things regarding his personal life. He wasn't a saint, but he
made millions of Americans (young & old) happy during his 20 year career in base ball. Along with Teddy
Roosevelt, Babe Ruth was the most interesting and beloved American in the first half of the 20th Century.

TED Z

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Posted By: Gary Cieradkowski

How about this one?


White Sox Spring Training, Tuscon, AZ February, 2002

We had a guest book that went along with the exhibit that people could write in and say things like "nice exhibit" etc, but sometimes people would leave much more.

Leafing through it one afternoon at a game Charlie (my partner for the trip) saw that a woman left the message "Babe Ruth save my brother's life". We had no idea what that message meant or even if it was true but my Charlie and I had to find out. The PA announcer asked for the woman to please go the the exhibit and a few minutes later an older woman approached us.

Turns out her family emigrated to the US from Russia in 1945 and her little brother had a bad heart. Being poor immigrants they had no chance of a life-saving and expensive operation. The little boy was going to die. Then somehow a rich donor found out about them and they received the money for the operation in Florida as well as weekly plane fare back and forth from Brooklyn for the kids mom while he recouperated. The donor who asked for no publicity was George Herman "Babe" Ruth. The boy was saved by the heart operation and grew up to have a family. No word if he was a baseball fan.

I believe The Babe was dying of cancer himself at the time and the fact that he would still be so generous to another person speaks so much to his expansive nature. Imagine that.

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Posted By: Jantz

there is a baseball video that shows Babe Ruth working out & joking around with his trainer. The name of the video is "Babe Ruth and Murderers row". The footage of his trainer is near the end of the video & Babe actually calls him by name (Artie). Just thought I would pass this along if anyone was interested.


Collect what you like,
Jantz

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the stories.... I knew Ted couldn't be attacking the Babe.... As Mr. Shore used to say... "everything good you hear about Babe is true and anything bad should be taken with a grain of salt..."

Be well Brian


PS Mr. Shore said he never met a more genuine MAN than Babe....

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Posted By: Gary Cieradkowski

My business card...

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Posted By: sagard

Not all of us consider drinking and womanizing a negative thing...



The Babe is/was the greatest!

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Posted By: dennis

gary great stories! lets hear some more, i never get tired of that kind of stuff....but that tiny business card with a red x needs upgrading.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Prior to Ruth's physical fitness program, his numbers were......

1918 - 1925......

BA = .350

HR = 300

RBI = 905

After starting his physical fitness program, his numbers are......

1926 - 1933......

BA = .341

HR = 377

RBI = 1161

If the great Bambino can improve his performance with a regular fitness program, it behooves
us to follow his example.

Bye, I'm off to our local gym.


T-Rex TED

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Posted By: barrysloate

Babe Ruth's numbers were astronomical no matter how you slice them. Not only was he the greatest ballplayer of all time, but the greatest sports figure in American history.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

"Not only was he the greatest ballplayer of all time, but the greatest sports figure in American history"

Well said.....Barry; and, I'll up you one.....and, say the most beloved American of the 20th Century.

TED Z

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Posted By: Gary Cieradkowski

One of my favorite Ruth as America stories is that Japanese soldiers responding to taunts of "Screw the Emperor" by American GI's in battle shouted back "Screw Babe Ruth!" Not Roosevelt, not MacArthur, Lincoln or Washington - but Babe Ruth!

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Posted By: barrysloate

Ted- even more beloved than Bill Clinton?

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

Hi Barry,
I know you're trying to drive Ted crazy, but Clinton isn't popular now.... Much less when he ran for President. He never attained 50% of the popular vote, and nearly every candidate he tries to help gets creamed... no pun intended..

Ruth on the other hand was loved by everyone.... even Cobb... as he compared himself to him... Now that's love baby. Be well Brian

PS You're using my "baby" now...

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Posted By: barrysloate

Brian- I voted for him twice, and loved him when he was President (I know I am going to get reamed for that)...but he's even starting to get on my nerves a little lately.

Edited to add I missed your George Costanza reference. I'm watching "The Ex-Girlfriend" (episode 6) as I type this. Like those early ones.

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

Hi Barry,
Don't worry... nothing really happened...smiley. I need a summer of Brian.....

PS I promise not to mention politics anymore.... because they all spend WAYYYY too much money and it pisses me off. Serenity now... Ok I'm done.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Are you supposed to shout "serenity now?"

The man on the tape wasn't specific. (great line)