1915 Babe Ruth?

[JeremyW]

I've never used the poll option on Net54 before, but thought that this might be an interesting option for this photo. I recently picked up this photo from a well known auction company. It was described as coming out of a scrapbook that had nine, I'm assuming pre-game, photos from game 3 of the 1915 World Series (10/11/1915--Red Sox vs. Phillies) After looking a bit longer, I started to believe that it could be Ruth. I'd really like to have Net54's opinion & I'm not worried about my feelings getting hurt. Thanks.

[jacksons]

You might be able to scan this and lift the shadows on the face using an editor tool like Photoshop. Based on the way the pants are rolled, the tapering of his legs down to small ankles, overall height and how he holds the bat, I vote yes, it’s likely Ruth.

Originally Posted by JeremyW

I've never used the poll option on Net54 before, but thought that this might be an interesting option for this photo. I recently picked up this photo from a well known auction company. It was described as coming out of a scrapbook that had nine, I'm assuming pre-game, photos from game 3 of the 1915 World Series (10/11/1915--Red Sox vs. Phillies) After looking a bit longer, I started to believe that it could be Ruth. I'd really like to have Net54's opinion & I'm not worried about my feelings getting hurt. Thanks.

[NiceDocter]

Based on just stance and figure I vote YES on Ruth.

[Bicem]

Impossible to tell for sure or rule it out.

That said, if I had to vote, I'd lean towards it being him, but again with no confidence.

[robw1959]

To me, it is very likely Babe Ruth.

[Scott Garner]

I vote yes as well.
Body type, batting stance look very much like a young Babe Ruth.
Also keep in mind that The Babe had very skinny lower legs...

[Lordstan]

Count me in the group of people who would vote yes to it being Ruth. The big caveat is that being I don't know what the other players on that team looked like, I cannot say it could not look like someone else as well.


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[jacksons]

No one had a face like Ruth. You scan this at high res and stroke the face area with an exposure or shadows adjustment and maybe we can see that nose.

[packs]

I mention this only for context. Ruth did not pitch in the 1915 World Series. He did get one at bat during the series but it wasn't in game three.

He would certainly be there. But at this point in his career I'm not so sure he would have been walking around with a bat, considering he was very unlikely to play.

[effe]

Originally Posted by packs

I mention this only for context. Ruth did not pitch in the 1915 World Series. He did get one at bat during the series but it wasn't in game three.

He would certainly be there. But at this point in his career I'm not so sure he would have been walking around with a bat, considering he was very unlikely to play.

This must be either batting practice or this isn't the world series, where are the fans?

[packs]

His at bat came during Game 1 when he pinch hit for Ernie Shore. He would definitely be there and it's possible that he would be taking batting practice. I would just think the starting players would be the ones taking hacks for those games.

[Bpm0014]

He's playing pepper, not taking BP.

[packs]

It looks like there is only one team on the field in the photo. There is a batter on their way to the home plate area, which may suggest a team taking BP.

Is there a way to determine definitively that it's the Red Sox on the field as opposed to the Phillies?

[JeremyW]

Philadelphia wore solid dark socks during this game. All of the players in the photo appear to have Boston socks on.

[T206Jim]

My guess is it is most likely Tris Speaker holding the bat. It is a characteristic pose for him and he was the star of the 1915 Red Sox. The intriguing question no has asked is who is the lefthanded Boston pitcher on the mound? Great image regardless.

[JeremyW]

I'm guessing the left handed pitcher is Dutch Leonard. He started & won game 3 for Boston. I see someone, possibly Hoblitzell, at first. If, big if, the rest of the starters are fielding their positions, that would put Speaker in center. Of course it's also possible that only the infielders are at their positions.

Also wanted to thank those who have chimed in. Really appreciate your thoughts.

[nolemmings]

It appears from the long shadows that this pic was taken nowhere near the noon start time of Game 3. Seems to be all Red Sox, and as noted, the batter is playing pepper or some other similar game rather than taking BP– with a catcher backing up any errant tosses. Since it is all Red Sox on the field it makes sense that they are taking fielding practice – no way you’re exposing that pepper player to getting racked by a line drive. It also makes sense that the starters and perhaps some reserves are at their stations for fielding practice reps, which would make it more likely that the pepper batter is a player not expecting to see game action; e.g. Ruth, maybe peppering his fellow moundsmen.

[Beercan collector]

Appears to be some kind of demon

[WillowGrove]

Kind of reminds me of this stance of Tris...

[Leon]

This thread was moved from the proper section in order to get a few more opinions.
.

[oldjudge]

Wouldn’t you think that there would be more decorations around the park for a Worlds Series game? I vote no on Ruth and no on a World Series game.

[JollyElm]

Aside from being a lefty, I really don't get much of a Ruthian vibe from that player...


baberuth-01.jpg

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Wouldn’t you think that there would be more decorations around the park for a Worlds Series game? I vote no on Ruth and no on a World Series game.

It does seem odd that there are not more people there, and although the papers noted that it was a late arriving crowd, Game 3 was a sellout nonetheless (Boston's first home game). That being said, the pic seems to show Braves Park, which the Red Sox used to play their World Series games in 1915 and 1916 but not their regular season contests, so it very well could be associated with the World Series.

[JeremyW]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Wouldn’t you think that there would be more decorations around the park for a Worlds Series game? I vote no on Ruth and no on a World Series game.

Here's another pre-game photo from the scrapbook showing the Phillies in the same stadium. What else could it be other than the 1915 series? They held the game at the NL Boston field for gate $/attendance.

[ullmandds]

beginning of wwi...might reflect in the fanfare of the event?

[ullmandds]

im 60/40 its the babe.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by T206Jim

My guess is it is most likely Tris Speaker holding the bat. It is a characteristic pose for him and he was the star of the 1915 Red Sox. The intriguing question no has asked is who is the lefthanded Boston pitcher on the mound? Great image regardless.

My initial gut reaction when I saw the photo was Speaker also.

[Spike]

Lots of lefties on the 1915 Red Sox, enough to give us odds against Ruth by numbers alone. These guys all batted more often than Ruth that year and were seasoned, in their mid-late 20s. Photographers might single out everyday players like Hooper and Speaker in particular for a World Series photo.

C Pinch Thomas
1B Dick Hoblitzel
3B Larry Gardner
OF Harry Hooper
OF Tris Speaker
OF Olaf Henriksen

[Spike]

Group photo from the same day with Hooper and Speaker. You might need to judge by the uniform bunching at the knees. :-)

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by Spike

Group photo from the same day with Hooper and Speaker. You might need to judge by the uniform bunching at the knees. :-)

Ummm...which one is supposed to be Tris??

[JustinD]

In the leaning toward camp, but just not enough at this time for me to stake my reputation on it. I would be digging through pictures to try to establish more proof.

[Leon]

I am leaning toward it being Babe. It looks like about 72% of members felt that way or think it is him.
.

and a card.... (since this full on kiss was pointed out, I look at this card kind of weirdly now LOL)

[brunswickreeves]

Also in the yes it’s Babe camp, wonder how many lefty’s there were at the time on NYY, maybe could narrow it down based on player size/stature.