Pic of "deranged girl" that shot "The Natural"

[brob28]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

There's something very disturbing about that photo. Considering Steinhagen shot Waitkus, why is she standing so close to him in the courthouse? Shouldn't there be a little more of a buffer zone between them?

I was thinking the same thing Barry.

[gnaz01]

Originally Posted by brob28

I was thinking the same thing Barry.

I was thinking "why isn't she in Jail??"

[Cat]

In the Police Gazette photo it says: "Eddie was innocent but incident scared players." What does that mean?

[Big Ben]

Originally Posted by Cat

In the Police Gazette photo it says: "Eddie was innocent but incident scared players." What does that mean?

Maybe the players of the era looked a little more cautiously before they leaped?

[Rich Klein]

When my friend Steve Gold was still with us he attempted to book her for an autograph session at his store. SHe accepted but the outcry amongst collectors was too much and the appearence never was completed.

I think perhaps as a private signing that might have worked.

Rich

[Brian Van Horn]

.

[Steve D]

Ruth Ann Steinhagen, the woman who shot Eddie Waitkus back in 1949, just died this past December:

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story...atural-dead-83


Steve

[conor912]

Wow. Best first line of a baseball card bio ever!!!

[deadballfreaK]

Great thread. Fascinating story. I knew most of it already, but the pics were new and I didn't know Ruth had passed away. Eddie's career and personal life went downhill for a long time. From what I've read the shooting weighed on him pretty heavily. Lots of drinking, but he came out of that and was doing well until cancer took him at an early age. As for Ruth she was obviously seriously mentally ill at the time, but she did some time, apparently was at least mostly cured, and lived a quiet normal life for 60+ years. I think Eddie forgave her and we can all do the same.

[Gmrson]

Very interesting story! The Natural is one of my favorite movies but I've yet to read the book. Years ago I was surprised to see the movie on the shelf of a lady I worked with. She explained it was one of her favorites, not because of baseball but because it's(the book) also based on Arthurian Legend. She explianed the parallels such as the cup being the Holy Grail, many of the other characters and how Hobbs fails in the book.

[Den*nis O*Brien]

I hope this post does not stretch the rules too far ( auto on the main board).....but here is a young and healthy Eddie on a 1939 Moline Plowboys team ball.

[EvilKing00]

very interesting i didnt know that. and yea why does it say hes innocent? innocent of what? was he accused of something?

[travrosty]

Originally Posted by brob28

I was thinking the same thing Barry.

i was thinking the same thing, if she shot him, why is she just two people away during this hearing and the person in-between is hardly an officer of the court?