No disrespect to all the other greats, but this quote right here sums up why Babe Ruth is the greatest ball player who ever lived. Being one of the top 5 hitters, and maybe I'm underestimating him by saying that, is impressive in itself, but being a pitcher, and a great one, before that? No other player in history can claim anything close.
I agree, no disrespect at all to Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig (who are both two of the greatest players ever) and others but that's why I think the Babe was the greatest of all time.
Here are some his career stats as a pitcher
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Win/Loss Record: 94-46
ERA: 2.28
Complete Games Pitched: 107
Win Percentage: .671
WHIP: 1.16
Opponents Batting Average: .220
For such a short career as a pitcher, Ruth put up some pretty impressive numbers. Not only a great win/loss record but
the fact his ERA was just over 2 is quite good, even for the Dead Ball Era. In the book im reading it mentions how one time he not only pitched 10 innings in a game (he lost 4-3) but he went a perfect 5 for 5 at the plate that game. That's amazing.
In fact, it was the Red Sox who began the transition of moving Ruth from being a pitcher to the outfield when they realised what a great hitter he was, which was fine with Ruth because he wanted to hit more and pitch less. In 1919, his last with the Sox, he hit 29 homers which was then the new single season record. He then shattered it the following year in his first season with the Yankees, where he became a full time outfielder, by hitting 54 home runs that year. His batting average that
season was .376 and his slugging percentage was an insane .847 (which was the single season record untill Bonds broke it with .863 in 2001).
One thing that I've found interesting is how his career stats, as great as they are, could have been even better if he had stayed in better physical shape. Another is if he hadn't tried swinging for the fences all the time. When asked about that in 1921 he said "I am determined to stay just what I am... my job is to knock 'em a mile, and that's what the fans expect." And he was right, that's why he became such a superstar. People came to the games, even those who weren't fans of the Yankees, because they wanted to see him blast home runs. He probably would have had over 3,000 hits in his career if he wasn't swinging for the fences all the time.
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