Expert: Brian Flaspohler - 8/11/2007

Question
Was the ground rule double a home run until 1930? How many ground rule doubles did Babe Ruth hit?

Answer
Eddie,

No one knows exactly how many balls that bounced into the stands were called home runs for Babe Ruth.  I've heard an estimate of about 30.  However, he also lots quite a few homeruns because a ball was ruled foul depending on where it hit the ground.  Ruth hit several (again estimates around 30) that were fair when they left the field, but then curved foul and were called foul.

Ruth also lost some homeruns because when you hit a game winning home run with people on base, you only got credit for the number of bases you needed to drive in the winning run.  So, bases loaded and your team down by one run and you hit a home run.  You only got credit for a double, because that's what was needed to drive in the tying and winning runs.  Ruth was estimated to lose about 10 home runs because of that.

So the rules giveth and they taketh away!

Hope this helps!

Brian