Book Read Free

The Big Fella

Page 63

by Jane Leavy


  Retrosheet, 408, 493

  Reuther, Dutch, 320

  Rice, Grantland, 80, 100, 103, 175, 266, 306, 308, 425, 439, 472–73

  Richardson, Alice, 169

  Richardson, Dr. Katherine B., 169

  Richmond Times-Dispatch, 304

  Rickenbacker, Eddie, 67, 69, 126, 420, 440, 445

  Rickey, Branch, 170

  Ridgely, Charles, xvii

  right of publicity, 233–35

  Riley, Father George, 284

  Ring, Dr. A. M., 338

  Ripken, Cal, Jr., xix, xxiii–xxiv

  Ripken, Cal, Sr., xxiii

  Riverside Enterprise, 128–29

  Riverside Press-Telegram Press, 129

  Rizzo, Mike, xxiv

  Roach, Father Michael, 36

  Robbins, Jhan, xxix–xxx, 410–12

  Roberson, Abigail, 228

  Robert Edwards Auctions, 366

  Robinson, Bill “Bojangles,” 175, 471–72

  Robinson, Eddie, 453–56

  Robinson, Jackie, 91, 170, 353

  Robinson, Ray, 414, 423

  Rockefeller, John D., 194

  Rockne, Knute, 62–63, 112, 261, 293–94, 381–82, 420, 445

  Rogers, Adela, 65

  Rogers, Will, 388

  Rolph, Jim “Sunny,” 296

  Roosevelt, Alice Longworth, 195

  Roosevelt, Franklin D., 112, 174, 290, 430, 440

  Roosevelt, Theodore, 2, 76, 97

  Root, Charlie, 174, 233, 416, 435–37, 452, 459

  Rosenberg, Leo, 105

  Rosenblatt, Johnny, 200, 449

  Rosenblatt, Steve, 449

  Rosner, Max, 89–91, 114–15

  Ross, Johnny, 457

  Roth, Mark, 259

  Rough and Ready (film), 254

  Roy, George, 241

  Rubinstein, Helena, 289

  Ruel, Muddy, 21

  Ruffing, Red, 328

  Ruhl, Oscar, 442

  Runyon, Damon, 80, 132, 217–18, 263–64, 271, 285

  Ruppert, Jacob, xxix, 5, 15, 19, 24–25, 61, 100, 134, 136–39, 194, 251, 271, 278, 283–85, 342, 388–92, 408–10, 413

  Russell, Bill, 306

  Ruth, Anna (sister), 41, 160

  Ruth, Augusta or Augustav (sibling), 39, 160

  Ruth, Catherine Schamberger “Katie” (mother), xviii, xxviii, 3, 35–36, 39–41, 44–45, 48–54, 54, 147

  death of, 154, 156, 465

  divorce of, 49–53

  Ruth, Clara Mae Merritt Hodgson “Claire” (second wife), 46, 58, 235, 242, 249

  affair with Babe, 252–55, 260, 272, 274, 276–79, 283–84, 344, 348, 349

  Babe’s decline and, 406–7, 410, 413–14, 417, 423–24, 438–45, 448, 451–52

  Babe’s will and, 393–94, 465–66

  birth of Julia and, 253

  death of, 476

  death of Babe and, 465–70, 473

  marries Babe, 370–78, 389, 392

  Walsh and, 419, 421–22

  Ruth, Francis J. (great-granduncle), 36–37

  Ruth, George Herman, Jr. “Babe”

  affairs and, 57–58, 83, 207–8, 242, 248–50, 274–75

  affair with Claire and, 58, 252, 254–55, 260, 274, 276–84, 370–72

  airplane stunt and, 15–16, 196

  All-Star Game (1933) and, 408

  Al Smith and, xxi, 64, 196–97, 342

  appetites of, 141–42

  auto accident and, 22

  awards and honors, 409, 456, 489

  “Babe” nickname and, 154

  “Babe Ruth Day” of 1947 and, 328–29, 444–47

  Baby Ruth candy bars and, 226–36

  back problems of, 334–35, 337, 359

  bad boy persona and, 99, 102–3, 292–93, 302–3

  Baltimore Orioles hire, 151, 153–54

  barnstorming and, 13–14, 17, 24–28, 30–32, 57–60, 80, 84–92, 114–17, 119–24, 139–40, 115, 124–26, 161, 163–69, 184–92, 199–200, 202, 208, 218, 257, 260–61, 263–65, 318, 321, 323–25, 331–38, 353, 358–59, 361–69, 379–83, 399–405, 433–37, 458–61, 462–64, 490–92

  baseball education of, 150–54

  baseball life span of, 456

  baseball seasons: (1914), 16, 18, 105, 153–54, 458; (1915), 156; (1917), 243; (1918), 159–60, 176, 302, 307; (1919), 161, 231, 424; (1920), 70, 77, 86, 161, 390, 391; (1921), 15, 19, 73–74, 105, 116, 204; (1922), 25, 71, 210–12, 250, 371; (1923), 122, 250, 252, 371, 391, 453–56; (1924), 181, 184, 256, 258–59; (1925), 121–22, 188–89, 269–70, 273–74, 278, 285, 293, 390, 392, 491; (1926), 16, 392; (1927), xxii–xxiii, 15, 18–22, 104–5, 112, 161–62, 192, 299, 303, 392, 458–59; (1929), 404–6; (1930), 392, 410; (1931), 392, 408, 410; (1933), 408, 410; (1934), 410–13; (1935), 415–18

  batboys and, 323–28

  bats of, xix–xx, xxiii, 21, 307, 463

  birth and early childhood of, xvii–xx, xxviii–xxx, 35–43, 47–48

  birth certificate of, xviii, xxviii, 413

  birthday of 1927 and savings pledge, 131–32

  blacks and, 60, 168–84

  book deals and, 222

  Boston Braves and, 415–18

  bowling and, xxiii–xxiv

  Brother Matthias and, 148–54, 161–63

  Called Shot in 1932 World Series and, 233, 407, 451, 459, 475

  celebrity of, xix, xxv–xxviii, 16–19, 59, 84, 92–93, 100–12, 117, 220, 367–69

  celebrity of, and licensing rights, 216–17, 224–25, 228–29, 233–36

  chemotherapy and, 447–48

  childhood move to St. Mary’s and, 2–6, 45–55

  Citizens’ Training Camps and, 257–58

  court cases and, 73–74, 122, 129–31, 134–35

  crowds and, 115, 117, 370–72, 428–29

  daughter Dorothy and, 58, 211–13, 242, 350, 355–57, 373, 375–79

  daughter Julia and, 373, 375–76

  daughters adopted by, 375–77

  death of, xxvii, 46, 442–48, 457, 465–75

  death of father and, 158–60

  death of Gehrig and, 414, 437–38

  death of Helen and, 339–58, 372, 394–95

  death of Huggins and, 407

  death of mother and, 154–55, 351

  death of siblings in childhood and, 39, 41–42, 44, 53–54

  decline of, 408–10

  diet and exercise and, 293

  divorce from Helen and, 242, 283–85, 290–91, 343, 350–51, 357–58, 384–85, 394–95

  divorce of parents and, 49–54

  Dixon paternity suit and, 248–50, 252

  as Dodgers coach, 426–27

  drinking and, 23–24

  early baseball field of, xxiv

  early managers and press agents, 61

  education of, 3–4, 97

  egg-laying hen and, 187–93, 198–202

  endorsements and, 130, 197, 210, 216–24

  enigma of, 369–70

  family background of, 36–38

  farm and, 201, 205–7, 213–14, 242–48

  fast living of, 104–5

  father and, 47–48, 55, 156–58

  FBI and, 257

  films and, 104–5, 111, 222

  films and, Babe Comes Home, 33–35, 55, 127, 128, 133, 134, 436

  films and, Babe Ruth Story, 440–42, 451–53, 458, 266, 472

  films and, Headin’ Home, 111, 228–29

  films and, home movies, 239–42, 462–63

  films and, instructional shorts, 116

  films and, Pride of the Yankees, 437–40

  films and, Speedy, 463

  final autographed baseballs and, 473

  final events of 1948 and, 455–58

  final game as Yankee of, 413

  final interview with, 457

  final speech of 1948, 455–56

  finances and, 101, 130–31, 211, 213, 218, 250, 291, 395

  finances and, 1927 earnings, 218–19, 384–85, 387, 394

  finances and, at death, 396–97, 444–45
<
br />   finances and, Braves salary, 415

  finances and, by-product money, 59, 105, 218–19, 224, 384, 288, 389, 419

  finances and, divorce settlement with Helen, 291, 357–58, 394–95

  finances and, life insurance value, 388

  finances and, post-Walsh, 291–92, 444

  finances and, Red Sox contract, 391

  finances and, retirement, 427–28

  finances and, total earnings, 389, 504–5

  finances and, trust fund, 131, 292, 384–87, 393–94, 444–45, 501, 506–11

  finances and, Walsh and, 59–63, 72–73, 130–32, 218, 292, 389, 392–96, 419–21, 501–511

  finances and, Yankees contracts, 125, 127, 132–39, 208–9, 213, 384, 386–92, 407, 409–10, 460–62

  fishing and hunting and, 127–29, 383, 462–63

  Ford hires, for American Legion Junior Baseball, 448–49, 456

  friendships and, 372

  friendship with Gehrig, 102–3, 121–24, 130, 300–301, 437–38, 472–73

  friendship with Gehrig, ended, 378, 413–14

  friendship with Gomez, 320

  friendship with O’Leary, 22

  gambling and, 248, 255–56, 425–26

  ghostwriting and, 59, 70–73, 80–81, 154, 267, 287–89, 385, 418–20

  golf and, 424–25, 430, 443

  grave of, 475–77

  Hall of Fame and, 172, 489

  hitting power of, xx–xxi, xxx, 19–22, 28, 64, 70, 125, 151, 208, 295–315, 318, 325, 397, 408, 437

  home runs and, career, 302, 403, 413, 417

  home runs and, career record beaten by Aaron, 180–81

  home runs and, distances, 490–92

  home runs and, final grand slam of 1934, 412

  home runs and, final of 1935, 416–17

  home runs and, first professional, 154, 458

  home runs and, season record of sixty, 15, 19–23, 104–5, 162, 187, 299–300, 407, 460, 490

  home runs and, season record, 75th anniversary, 236

  home runs and, season record, beaten by Maris, 476

  home runs and, three-home-run game in World Series, 407

  100th-anniversary book on, 55

  100th birthday of, 235–36

  illnesses, cancer and, 46, 328–29, 442–48, 453–56, 467

  illnesses, gastric crisis and, 267–73

  impact of, on baseball, xxi–xxii, xxiv–xxvi, 302–3, 314, 450–51

  interviewed by boy reporter, xxix–xxxi, 410–12

  locker of, xxi, 453

  major-league debut of, 100th anniversary, xx

  management ambitions of, 410–12, 424, 426, 456

  management offer to, at Newark farm club, 409–10

  marriage to Claire Hodgson and, 372–75, 392, 439–40

  marriage to Helen Woodford and, 154–57, 121, 137–38, 242–43, 245–48, 250, 268–69, 281–84

  memorabilia auctioned, 366–67

  military and, 257–59

  MVP and, 122

  myths about, xviii, 17, 365–66

  Negro Leagues and mixed-race teams and, 60, 86–87, 176–77

  New York City Police and, 290–91

  night games and, 404

  old-timers of 1923 game of 1948 and, 453–56

  orphanage and hospital visits and, 107, 112–13, 168–70, 184–85, 197–98

  orphan story and, 55, 98

  personality of, 62–63, 100

  photos of, xxvii, 110–14, 169–70, 260, 368–69, 401, 402, 431, 433–34, 453–55

  photos of, Dunsmuir, 365–66

  photos of, Fein’s “No. 3 Bows Out,” xxi, 455

  photos of, with father, 157, 160

  pitching and, xxiv, xxix–xxx, 116, 152–53, 307, 310

  pony ride in Sioux City, 239–42, 259–60

  portraits of, 110–14, 171–72

  portraits of, Baltimore Harbor statue, 8

  portraits of, Garretto caricature of, xxvii

  portraits of, Walsh cartoon, 64–65

  Providence Grays and, 16, 18, 154

  public persona and, 100, 110–12, 411–13

  radio and, 106, 295–99

  real estate and, 224

  recordings of, 110

  Red Sox and, xxiv, xxix–xxx, 101, 105, 171–72

  Red Sox and, major-league debut of, 154

  repentance of, 289–91

  retirement of, 177, 396–97, 417–18, 420, 422–30, 441–43

  sister Mamie and, 8, 465–66

  size of, xviii–xx, xxiv, 21, 259–60, 323–25

  social skills of, 165–66

  sportswriting and, 75–81, 83–85, 266, 274–77, 285–87

  spring training of 1925 and, 268–69

  statistics of, xxiv–xv, 116, 307, 408, 489–99

  St. Mary’s and, 5–12, 45–46, 93–96, 98–99, 103, 142–49, 150–54, 160–62

  St. Mary’s release to Orioles and, 16–17, 151, 369

  suspension of 1922 and, 21–22, 25, 60, 202–5, 208, 257

  suspension of 1925 and, 274, 285, 293

  travels to Cuba, 61

  travels to Japan, 403–4, 413–15, 429–30

  travels to Mexico, 442

  vaudeville and, 61, 106, 126–30, 205–7, 218, 224, 383

  Walsh and, 24–25, 58–73, 109–11, 420, 439–42

  Walsh article on, 427–28

  Walsh ends contract with, 418–21

  Walsh on, after death, 474

  will of, 465, 467, 469

  World Series: (1915), 156; (1916), 116; (1918), 116; (1921), 105; (1922), 179, 436; (1923), 101, 453; (1926), 22, 124–25, 134, 491; (1927), 14–15, 24, 28–30, 110, 121, 173–75; (1928), 338, 341–42, 407, 437; (1932), 233, 267, 415–16, 459

  World’s Fair and, 421

  World War II and, 429–31

  Yankees buy, from Red Sox (1920), 78, 389–91

  Yankees’ profits from, 388–92

  Yankees retire No. 3 and, 453

  Yankee Stadium 25th anniversary and last visit of, xxix, 453–56

  Yankee Stadium exhibition game of 1942 and, 430–31

  Yankee Stadium opening and, 250–52

  Yankee Stadium stampede and, 404–6

  Ruth, George Herman, Sr. (father), xvii, 3–7, 35–36, 39–46, 53–54, 142, 246

  Babe buys saloon for, 156–59

  Babe sent to St. Mary’s, 6–7, 11, 46–48, 98–99, 147

  death of, 158–60, 465

  divorce of, 49–53

  marries second wife, Martha Sipes, 156–59

  Ruth, Gussie (sister), 44, 160

  Ruth, Jacob A. (great-grandfather), 36, 37

  Ruth, John Antone, Jr. (uncle), 38–39, 41, 42, 43–44

  Ruth, John Antone (grandfather), 35–39

  Ruth, Julia (daughter). See Stevens, Julia Ruth

  Ruth, Mamie (sister). See Moberly, Mary Margaret Ruth

  Ruth, Martha E. Sipes (stepmother; later Strohmann), 156–58, 160

  Ruth, Mary Ellen Woodford “Helen” (first wife), 28–29, 58, 59, 71, 78, 112, 134, 137–38, 205–7, 208, 212–14, 332, 338, 359, 371, 373–74, 389

  Babe’s affairs and, 250, 255, 260, 277–79, 281–84, 371

  daughter Dorothy and, 212

  death of, 212, 245, 339–55, 372, 377, 394

  farm and, 214, 243, 245

  marital problems and, 242, 278, 283–85, 290–91, 344, 348–51, 376

  marriage to Babe and, 154–57, 159, 245–48, 253, 268–71

  nervous breakdown and, 272–73, 278–79, 338

  separation payments and, 384–85, 393–95

  will of, 355, 378, 394–95

  Ruth, Mary Strodtman (grandmother), 36, 38

  Ruth, Nellie (cousin), 42

  Ruth, William E. (brother), 45, 49, 53–54, 160, 465

  Ruth, William (uncle), 53

  Ruth’s All America Baseball Team, 409

  Ruth’s Cafe, 156–58, 160

  Ruth’s Home Run Bar, 225–33, 292

  Ruth superstar effect, 391–92
<
br />   Ryan, Rosy, 61

  Sacramento, 358–59

  Sacramento Bee, 336

  Sacramento Senators, 334, 336

  Sacramento Union, 358

  Sacramento Valley League, 336, 338, 352

  Salvotti brothers, 316

  Samuel, Brother, 471

  Sandburg, Carl, 374

  San Diego, 381–83

  San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, 397

  San Diego Evening Tribune, 381

  San Diego Padres, 327

  San Diego Sun, 224, 382–83

  San Diego Union, 224, 381, 383

  San Francisco, 296–97, 318–19

  San Francisco Baseball Old Timers Association, 326

  San Francisco Bulletin, 298

  San Francisco Call, 117, 242, 295, 315, 353

  San Francisco Chronicle, 76, 297, 315, 318–19, 327–28

  San Francisco Examiner, 260, 293, 295, 297, 300, 321, 352

  San Francisco Giants, 219, 312

  San Francisco Seals, 315, 317–22, 326, 336, 338, 352–53, 363

  San Joaquin Valley, 382

  San Jose, 361–69, 379–80

  San Jose Mercury Herald, 361, 365, 379

  San Jose Mercury-News, 364, 367

  San Jose News, 361, 362, 363

  Santoro, Al, 297, 299–300, 318

  Saturday League, 199

  Savage, Connie, 61

  Schafer, Henry, 220

  Schamberger, Pius (grandfather), 35

  Schamberger family, 38, 155

  Schleupner, Dotty, 43

  Schnering, Otto Y., 216, 226–27, 230–34, 236

  Schu, Rick, 312–13

  Schwalenberg, Greg, xix

  Scott, Dudley, 240–41, 259

  Scott, Frank, 422

  Scranton Republican, 435

  Scranton Times, 280

  Scranton Truth, 154

  Scully, Vin, 100–101, 428

  Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 113

  Seay, Dick, 86

  Seidenman, Sig, 457

  Selkirk, George, 415

  Sennett, Mack, 134

  Sewell, Joe, 410

  Shahan, Jonathan, 158

  Shawkey, Bob, 410

  Sheehy, Pete, xxviii, 468

  Shepherd, Pete, 400

  Shieber, Tom, xx, xxiv

  Shor, Toots, 465

  Shore, Ernie, 153, 489

  Silvera, Charlie, 328, 452

  Simon, Brother, 161

  Sing Sing Black Sheep, 492

  Sinn Fein, 69

  Sioux City, 32, 239, 259–60, 456

  Sioux City Journal, 29, 239

  Sipes, Benjamin “Doc,” 156, 158–59

  Slade, Gordon, 321

  Slocum, Bill, 80

  Smart Set, The, 109

  Smelser, Marshall, 42, 246, 415, 473

  Smith, Al, xxi, 64, 112, 196, 252, 342, 420

  Smith, Chino, 86, 114

  Smith, Dave, 408

  Smith, Earl, 180

  Smith, Francis Marion, 319

 

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