The Day the Babe Walked Away

“Blogging at the Intersection of Faith and Sports”

On this date in 1936 the great Babe Ruth did the unthinkable, the unimaginable, the incomprehensible thing in today’s sporting world--he walked away. He actually declined the Cincinnati Red’s invitation to make a final heroic comeback. Can you imagine Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali or Brett Favre declining a comeback when a wealthy owner is dangling money in front of their face?

Yet Ruth retired, walked away from the game—and didn’t listen to the inner-voice telling him he could still summon the strength, skill and talent to do it one more time. Nothing is harder for “the greatest” than to turn off the competitive juices and admit the game they love has passed them by. Sports is cruel in that way

George Herman Ruth, Jr. best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935. Ruth originally broke in with the Boston Red Sox as a starting pitcher, but was sold to the New York Yankees in 1919, and converted to a full-time right fielder and one of the league's most prolific hitters. Ruth was a mainstay in the Yankees' lineup that won seven pennants and four World Series titles during his tenure. Without a doubt, Ruth was the greatest baseball player of all-time.

After a short stint with the Boston Braves in 1935, Ruth retired. While Ruth could still hit, he could do little else. His conditioning had deteriorated to where he could do little more than trot around the bases. His fielding was dreadful; at one point, three of the Braves' pitchers threatened not to take the mound if Ruth was in the lineup.

But on May 25, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Ruth went 4-for-4, drove in 6 runs and hit 3 home runs in an 11–7 loss to the Pirates. These were the last three home runs of his career. His last home run cleared the roof at the old Forbes Field—he became the first player to accomplish that feat.

Five days later, in Philadelphia, Ruth hurt his knee and walked away from the great game for good. There would be no talk of a comeback the next year with the Reds—it was over.

The wise King Solomon reminds us all that “there is a season for everything under heaven.” There is a time be born and die, a time laugh and mourn, a time to dig deep to give your all and a time to hang them up and retire. Solomon then says this, “And God makes all things beautiful in their time” (Ecclesiastes 3: 11).

Here’s wishing you enough faith to believe God’s timing for your life is better than your own.

Scott