Expert: Steve L - 9/19/2004

Question
I've always assumed that Babe Ruth didn't pitch (as well as hit) for the Yankees because it would have been too tiring to play every game and to pitch in, say, a fifth of them.

But I have no idea whether this is correct. Do you know of any source from the time that discussed the reason why Ruth didn't pitch once he bacame a Yankee?

Many thanks,

Steve  

Answer
I don't know about it being tiring, but I do know that Ruth's pitching had decreased while he was still in Boston in 1917-18.  He was hitting home runs so often (he led the league with 11 in 1918) that the Sox wanted him in the lineup every day. In 1917, he appeared in 41 games -- ALL as a pitcher.  In 1918, he appeared in 20 games as a pitcher, and 85 games as an outfielder/1st baseman.  So he was already spending less time on the mound.

In 1919, his last year in Boston, he played in 130 games in the outfield and hit 29 home runs -- MORE THAN TWICE AS MANY as his closest competitor.

The short answer is Babe's bat was too valuable to keep him out of the lineup every day.  Pitching had to go.