“Thankful for Baseball and Babe Ruth,” Jim Yerman

American Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, and I think it’s fair to say that many of us are thankful for the American National Pastime. This piece helps us to express and embrace that gratitude.

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May we be blessed to acknowledge all the wonders in our life
that have, for us, thus far accrued…
and to begin each day with a word of thanks…
and thoughts of gratitude.

Today I’m thankful for baseball
and the wisdom of Babe Ruth…
(Many old-timers will remember his name)
He said, ‘never let the fear of striking out
keep you from playing the game.’

Quote of the day

No matter how many victories you win or how many records you break, the season will eventually come to an end. Take pride in what you achieved and strive for success in your future.

~Babe Ruth

babe

Quote of the day

I don’t want to be Babe Ruth. He was a great ballplayer. I’m not trying to replace him. The record is there and damn right I want to break it, but that isn’t replacing Babe Ruth.

~Roger Maris

Roger Maris
Brittanica.com

This day in baseball: Joe Hauser’s kneecap troubles

During a spring training game on April 7, 1925, A’s first baseman Joe Hauser shattered his kneecap, an injury that would cause him to miss the entire season. After batting .323 and blasting 27 homers, second only to Babe Ruth’s total (46) during the 1924 season, Hauser would only remain in the majors a few more years, until 1929, eventually returning to the minor leagues. Back in the minors, Hauser became a prodigious home run hitter before a batted ball broke a kneecap again in 1934.

Joe Hauser (public domain)

This day in baseball: The first Hall of Fame class is selected

On January 29, 1936, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and a special Veterans Committee selected Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson in the first-ever Baseball Hall of Fame elections. The enshrinement of these five greats, however, would have to wait until 1939, since the museum’s construction in Cooperstown had not yet begun.

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1936 inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame inductees: L-R: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Water Johnson (Wikimedia Commons / public domain)

Quote of the day

The home run became glorified with Babe Ruth. Starting with him, batters have been thinking in terms of how far they could hit the ball, not how often.

~Rogers Hornsby

Rogers_Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby, 1921 (public domain)