During the 1915 Boston Red Sox season, Babe Ruth was not yet a memorable baseball icon. He is very thin. Muscular. His body was trained through a disciplined, almost monastic life at St. Mary’s Technical School. He is not heavy. He’s just… big.
His face tells the story of a man’s growth. His small eyes squinted in the bright light. The nose is wide and flat. There seems to be a perpetual smile on his lips. Fans love him for that. He was hounded by reporters for it. He is sociable, funny and very attractive.
But on the field, the baseball world saw something very different.
Ruth was just part of the machine that produced a 101-50 record. The Red Sox won the pennant. Ruth’s batting average was .315. Four home runs in 92 at-bats might not sound like much now, but when combined with 10 doubles and one triple, his average was .576. That’s .250 better than league average. This is a good result for a newcomer.
However, numbers only tell half the story. The real story happens on the hill.
Ruth’s early rise advantage
While the bat was a nice bonus, the Babe was still expected to be a pitcher. His 18-8 record and 2.44 ERA were more than just numbers. They are statements. He had a few moments on the bench – one in 10 games – but it was few and far between. The Red Sox offense is shaky any way you look at it. Terry Speaker has a .322 batting average. Duffy Lewis hit .291. Exceed them? silence.
Pitchers are the backbone of the team. Deepest in the American League.
Rube Foster: 19 wins, 8 losses
* Ernie Shore: 18-8
Ruth: 18-8
Dutch Leonard: 15 wins, 7 losses
Joe Wood: 15 wins, 5 losses
Karl Mays was waiting in the bullpen. Let’s get ready.
Ruth is the youngest of six. He finished the season pitching nine innings in a meaningless doubleheader. Why? Everyone else is on vacation. They’re saving their arm for the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Bei Bei refused to start. He is the spare tire.
1915 World Series performance
Head coach Bill Carrigan expressed his confidence in Game 3. Ruth appeared as a pinch hitter in the 9th inning. The Red Sox led 2-1. Inside the base is a man.
Ruth jumped to first place.
he got angry. It’s a small moment that history easily forgets. But the mood brightened as the Red Sox won the series in five games.
The price paid is huge. Ruth won the winner’s share of $3,780.25. This is almost $300 more than his annual salary. That’s an amazing number for a 20-year-old rookie. This shows that his value is going to skyrocket.
Federal League wage war
Ruth joined the Red Sox at the right time financially. The Federal League was born in 1914 and 1915. This is a big league of rivals. Forces owners to pay higher wages to prevent players from jumping ship.
The effect also extends to newcomers. All celebrities get paid and all influence.
However, the league fell apart before the 1916 season. Ownership came back cheap. Naturally, a salary dispute arose. Stars are struggling to avoid pay cuts.
President Tris refused to sign. Owner Joseph Lannin wants to reduce the player’s salary from $15,000 to $9,000. Joe Wood never showed up. His wounds deepened.
Boston fans remain optimistic. They are a champion team. When Lannin acquired outfielder Clarence “Tilly” Walker from Connie Mack’s Athletics, it was seen as insurance. Duffy Lewis was injured. Spring training is only a few days away.
Then came the shock.
Tris Speaker Trading
The Speaker were sold to the Cleveland Indians.
price? $50,000. Two unknown players. Sam Jones is one of these nameless characters. He became a great pitcher.
This is the most shocking news Boston baseball fans have ever heard. That record wasn’t broken until a few years later when another outfielder was retired. That’s another story.
The Speaker mention the highest amount ever paid to a player. Nobody cares about money when you’re a lifetime hitter hitting .344. The leader of the World Series champions.
This effectively marked the end of Joe Wood’s career in Boston. He never signed with the Red Sox. The following spring, he became president of Cleveland.
The 1916 baseball season was a successful one for Babe Ruth. He survived the wage war. He survived the World Series bullpen. He was ready for more.
For more information about baseball and baseball players:
Baseball
Minor League Baseball
*Baseball Hall of Fame
