BABE RUTH CONSPIRACY? THE DUMBEST STORY OF THE DECADE

I never thought anyone would seriously need proof that Babe Ruth existed, but here we are.

Cubs All-Star Pete Crow-Armstrong recently repeated the bizarre claim that Ruth may not have been real. On the podcast “Let’s Be Honest” Crow-Armstrong was referring to was a 2024 interview with Mariners pitcher Tayler Saucedo, in which Saucedo argued that because there are not many videos of Ruth playing baseball, he must not be real.

That might be the most ridiculous baseball theory in recent history.

It also perfectly represents a generation that gets most of its news from TikTok. If there is no high-definition video, alternate camera angle or 30-second clip with captions, apparently the event never happened.

Look, Babe Ruth played from 1914 through 1935. During most of his career, motion-picture cameras were bulky, expensive and mounted on tripods. Raw film stock was costly, and newsreel crews were not recording complete nine-inning games. They usually captured a few swings, pregame warmups, dugout footage or a home-run trot.

Regular live television broadcasting did not exist during Ruth’s prime. That is why limited footage survives—not because Ruth was some character invented by baseball historians.

The actual historical record is enormous. Ruth’s career was documented through official scorebooks, newspapers, photographs, contracts, eyewitness accounts and surviving newsreel footage.

And those records describe a player unlike anyone else.

Ruth began as an elite left-handed pitcher before becoming baseball’s greatest power hitter. He finished with 714 home runs, a .342 batting average, a record .690 slugging percentage and a 1.164 career OPS. In 1927, he hit 60 home runs. During certain seasons, Ruth personally out-homered entire major-league teams.

He did not simply dominate baseball. He changed its basic strategy, helping move the sport away from bunts, stolen bases and low-scoring “small ball” toward the power game fans recognize today.

Questioning history is healthy. Ignoring a mountain of historical evidence because there are not enough TikTok clips is not.

Babe Ruth existed Crow-Armstrong, don't be ridiculous. Critical thinking is one thing, but this is just stupid.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor