Evening star., 1938-06-19
NOT DUE T0P|[0T,
OFFICIALS INSIST
Babe, However, Is Expected
to Be Magnet to Draw
Fans to Game.
By the Associated Press.

the man that baseball forgot, came
back to the big leagues today under
circumstances as mysterious as they
were unexpected.
The 44-year Babe emerged from
three years obscurity to serve as coach
Of the Brooklyn Dodgers and will make
his debut tomorrow when the Dodgers
meet the Chicago Cubs in q double
header.
He signed for the balance Of the
1898 season at $4,000 salary. He
would have laughed at that kind Of
money few years ago when he was
welding a big bat with such deadly
effect for the New York Yankees. -
Last Job With Bees.
His last big league Job went up In
the smoke Of controversy in 1888 when
he quit a $4,000 post as vice presi-
dent. assistant manager and part-time
player with the Boston Nationals.
But perhaps there's more in the
deal than meets the eye.
Some baseball men predicted thai
Ruth would succeed Burleigh Grimes
as manager no later than the start of
the 1899 campaign. Another school
of thought believed his acquisition sim
ply was another publicity ten-strike
engineered by Leland Stanford Mac
Phail, the Dodgers shrewd general
manager whose operations generally
are made with at least one eye on the
box office
Should Attract Fans.
Certainly there's no reason to doubt
that Ruth, baseball crowd pleaser
for more than a score of years and
an especial favorite of Brooklyn fans.
will draw 'em in at Ebbets Field just
as he used to at the Yankee Stadium,
at least while the novelty lasts.
The Babe, himself, wouldn't talk
much about it. He was happy as a
kid playing hockey" over his return
to the big leagues, but he insisted that
the Dodgers had not promised or men,
toned anything beyond his Job as
coach for the rest of the season.
Right now, I've been hired as a
coach for Brooklyn, and that's all
there is to it," he said. Il have no
immediate thoughts about a man
ayers job in the future. But, of
course. I'd like to get one.
"Burleigh Grimes is the manager in
Brooklyn and I'm working with him"
However. knowing Ruth's long am
bitions to boss a big league club, and
taking a look at the big fellow as he
spoke of his comeback to the big time.
you got the idea he figured the Brook
lyn job was stepping stone toward
that goal.
Oficias Of the Brooklyn club in
sisted, however. that Grimes will re-
main as manager and that Ruth was
hired as coach and nothing more
No promise. written or otherwise. was
given Ruth that eventually he would
be given a shot at the managers Job,
they declared.
Its great to be back in the game"
the Babe roared in that deep, bass
voice of his. Il would have been back
long ago If I had had o chance to
hook on with some major league
club. But what could I do? Yol
can't make guy give you job When
finally was offered one grabbed it
quick"
When the Dodgers made the an
nouncement today, and 1t took base
ball writer's several hours to track
down the former home run kinS.
He was playing (and winning) a golf
match in the Leewood Club cham
pionship at Tuckahoe, N Y. He de-
feated his opponent on the eighteenth
green to reach the tournament semi
finals.
Keep Two Other Coaches.
Despite Ruth's acquisition. the
Dodgers announced that both Tom
Sheehan and Jesse Haines would be
retained as coaches. The Babe prob
ably will be assigned to the first-base
coaching lines with Sheehan at third
and Haines working with the pitchers.
This may mean that Grimes, the
National Leagues No. umpire batter
last season, will do all his MASTER
minding hereafter from the dugout.
In addition to his coaching duties,
Ruth also expects to take few cuts
at the ball during batting practice.
That won't hurt the gate" either.
Although some thought he now was
occupying an exceedingly hot spot.
Grimes said he was delighted 10 have
Ruth on the ball club.
THE Babe doesn't belong out ON
any golf links" Battling Burleigh
said. He is an institution in base
ball and that's where he ought to
spend every day Of his life" 80
Hope for Better Things.
Ruth, and his friends, will be hop
ing that his second National League
| venture will be more successful than
his first. After Is brilliant years with
the Yankees. the Babe took the post
with the Boston Braves because ap-
parently 1t was going to lead lin
into q managers Job.
1t didn't turn out that way. The
Babe wasn't in shape and hit only .1sl
in % games. More to the point, he
couldn't Sc eye 10 eye with Emil
Fuchs. president of the club. Finally
their differences took so acute q turn
that Ruth, in sheer disgust quit the
game. .-
It seemed dishsartening finish
for the most colorful ball player Of
all time. The Babe. independently
wealthy, could afford to sit and wait
for q major league job to turn up,.
But none did. Big league managers
came and went in quick succession,
but Ruth never was given Q tumble.
It looked for a while as II he was
through with the game for good.
Got Start In 1914.
Born in Baltimore February Z, 1894,
Ruth broke into professional baseball
a. q pitcher In 1914 with THE Balti-
more Orioles Of the International
League. Sold to the Boston Red Sox
the same year for $4,000, the Babe
rapidly became one Of the Americans
Leagues best left-handers. He still
holds the world series record, for
pitching the most consecutive score
a. .-