All-Time Allstars - Babe Ruth - Part Two
By Diane Stanley
February 7 2003
One of Ruth's favorite haunts was Lander's Coffee Shop. It was here that he started to take interest in a pretty young waitress called Helen Woodford. She was just 17 and pretty as a picture. They married on October 17, 1914 at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church in Ellicott City, Maryland.
The Babe's career really started to take off in 1919. He was making $10,000 per season (a major contract in those days.) This enabled he and Helen to purchase a house just outside of Boston in Sudbury, Massachusetts. All in the world of Ruth finally looked happy. That was until a big shock was bestowed upon him in December of 1919.
Ruth thought he would be spending his career with Boston. He never once dreamed that they would sell him the way Baltimore had. Still nothing in baseball is forever. Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees who were at that time owned by Colonel Jacob Ruppert. Prior to Ruth's arrival in New York, the team had never won a pennant. With "The Babe" as part of their arsenal they became a dominant force in major league baseball, winning seven pennants and four World Championships from 1920 to 1933. However Ruth was crushed by the sale in the beginning. It was then it is believed that he placed his infamous curse on the Red Sox that they would never win the World Series. To date it seems this so-called curse is still holding. Although the Red Sox have made the play offs they have not won the most coveted pennant in the game.
Helen and Ruth moved into the Ansonia Hotel on Broadway, which was also the New York home for many celebrities. Unlike her husband, Helen was shy and reserved and did not enjoy the constant notoriety that accompanied Babe wherever he went. As a result, she preferred staying at their rural home outside of Boston, where they had a farm with some 200 acres of land and privacy. In 1921, the couple adopted a baby girl, Dorothy. On January 11, 1929, tragedy struck. Helen was killed in a house fire. Dorothy, who was just eight at the time was away at boarding school. This probably saved the child's life. Ruth once again was alone except for his beloved daughter.
It was not too long before he met a young widow named Clair Hodgson. She had come to New York with her daughter Julia in 1920. She worked as a model and an actress. They were married on April 17, 1929. This was the day before the Opening Day Game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, and as a wedding present to Claire, Babe hit a home run in his first at bat. In October 1930, Babe formally adopted Claire's daughter Julia, while Claire did the same with Dorothy.
No matter how busy he was, or how many demands were made of him Ruth always found time for the children. Perhaps it was because he had such a loveless childhood himself, or maybe it was something totally different, but he always made sure he found time for the flocks of children who always surrounded him. He loved the kids, all kids with all of his heart, especially those in need. He would turn down many offers to do pubic appearances, but if it involved children he never needed asking twice. He made countless visits to children in hospitals and orphanages, and always did what was asked of him to help charitable causes associated with children. This even included St. Mary's. He never tried to hide his roots and difficult childhood, and once he became established he did much to help St. Mary's and the Xaverian Brothers who ran it.
Babe Ruth's last year as a Yankee was 1934. He had a burning desire to manage in the major leagues. In 1935, at the age of forty, he announced that his playing days were through and that he wanted to become a manager. In late February, Judge Emil Fuchs, owner of the Boston Braves, enticed Ruth to join the team by making him believe that the following year he may become the team's manager. This would never happen. Once again the Babe's heart was broken. Ruth played his last major league game on May 30, 1935, for the Boston Braves and announced his retirement on June 2, 1935. From that day on he kept hoping to get a chance to manage in the major leagues, but the opportunity never came.
On February 2, 1936, Babe became a charter member of the Baseball Hall of Fame along with Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson.
In 1946, Babe was diagnosed with throat cancer. Even though doctors performed surgery and he received radiation treatments, the cancer could not be arrested. With doctors being unable to do any more for him, Babe was released from the hospital on February 15, 1947. Subsequently, April 27 was declared "Babe Ruth Day" in every baseball park in the United States and Japan. Although too frail to don his old uniform at the time, Babe did make an appearance on that day at Yankee Stadium.