One of the greatest mysteries in baseball to me has always been why a player like Babe Ruth was never a manager. It seems like a complete no brainer to me. The Sultan of Swat. It's just one of those things that we always wonder about. It's always been assumed that Babe's lifestyle is the reason why owners looked him over. He had a love for food, late nights and women. But when he met and married his wife, Clarie, that all changed. So why, you have to wonder, did the owners still fail to consider him as a manager?
Well, according to the Babe's daughter, Julia Ruth Stevens, the cause for him being blackballed is racism. In an interview with The New York Times, Julia speaks about her father.
"'Daddy really wanted to manage,' she said.
She has a theory different from the commonly held belief as to why her father never had that opportunity. It was believed that Ruth's once-unrestrained lifestyle scared owners. But, after his marriage to Claire seems to calm him, the Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert said: 'I think Ruth will make a splendid manager. He's settled down and he's very serious about his future.'
Stevens said that what truly prevented Ruth from a shot at managing was the fear that he would have brought in black players, years before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947.
'Daddy would have had blacks on his team, definitely,' Stevens said."
I don't know why the idea surprises me. I know what this country was like back then. I am well versed in the struggles that Jackie had to overcome as the first black man in professional baseball. So why does the idea that an entire group of owners would overlook Babe as manager bother me? It is well known that Babe frequented New York City's Cotton Club, and being friends with Bill Robinson, the tap dancer known as Bojangles. He also brought Robinson into the Yankees clubhouse with him in 1932 World Series.
Stevens also mentioned that her father loved Satchel Paige. Satchel, who had 15-pitch arsenal, did not make it to the majors until he was 42. How different would history be if it were Satchel who broke the color barrier, with Babe pulling for him? Satchel, the hot-tempered pitcher may have also been the first minority to take a bat to someone's head, not Juan Marichal.
"He really thought he deserved to manage. Daddy knew baseball. He felt he would be a better manager than Joe McCarthy. He always talked about it."
Maybe history was not ready for baseball to be integrated when Babe was around. Maybe a hot-head like Satchel wouldn't have been able to handle the pressure like Jackie did. All things happen in their time, but the idea that the reason that the Babe was overlooked is complete, and utter ignorance is disappointing. I feel robbed! Robbed by not having a baseball history that reflects Babe as an incredible player, and a historic manager. Robbed because Babe never had the chance to lead a team like he wanted to.
I believe this is an excellent lesson for my kids. Always do the right thing. Even when people dislike or overlook you for it, always do the right thing. Your legacy is more important than the judgement of a few small minds. And this just further solidified Babe's legacy of greatness. The game we enjoy now is incredible. In part because men like Babe believed it should be a game for everyone. Because men like Jackie, and Satchel helped fight to make that a reality. And because men like Curtis Granderson, and even Mariano Rivera continue to be leaders by example.
I hope the Babe is proud of what the game has become.
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