Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-04-21

shabbily.
This is the most incomprehensible
attitude we have ever seen in a re-
tired athlete.
What he is bitter about is the fact
that no major league club owner will
employ him as manager; but what can
possibly be done about that if no
major league club owner believes he
would make successful manager?
How can we expect man who
has a million or two invested in a
ball club to say, 81 sincerely don't
believe the Babe can be competent
manager; but I'm going to put him
in charge of my investment anyway,
just for sentiments sake?"
And even if his rejection as a
possible big league manager did
amount to an undeserved slight, Ruth
would have good deal to thank base
ball for. He can take one rebuff
and still be ahead of the game.
The legend for years was that
Ruth's hitting and personality made
baseball prosper. They called the
Yankee Stadium ''the House that Ruth
Built" and they attributed increas-
ing attendance all around the league
to the Babes appeal to the fans.
But the longer view, taken from the
records, indicates that Babe was just
another fine ball player after all.
Attendance at Yankee Stadium has
been higher since Ruth moved on than
it was while he was hitting home
runs by the day. The Yankees, called
a great drawing card on the road
because they had Ruth, have been
even a better drawing card since
they lost Ruth.
But most of all, the Babe owes a
debt to baseball and especially to
the Mite Manager, Miller Higgins, for
making him some kind of man.
If he had been left to his own ac-
tons he would have dissipated him
self into poverty and ill health. He
was going headlong in that direction;
but little Miller Higgins, often swal-
lowing his own pride and withholding
the full force of his right to impose
discipline, handled Ruth with the
patience of a loving father-and an
unusually intelligent father.
Year by year as Ruth was strain
ing to dash his future against the
rocks of high living, Higgins exerted
an influence which gradually turned
him off that course, taught him how
to discipline and control himself
showed him how to save his money
and invest it to safeguard his future
And behind Higgins was the toll
Grant, patient, shrewd Jake Rupert
Strengthening Hugs hand in the diff
ficult work of making a man out OF
a Babe. Higgins close friends say
that the trials he had with Ruth
cost him his life, so great was the
strain upon a delicate, sensitive ner-
vous system.
But Hug sent Ruth through his
playing career and back into the
world with a fairly firm grip on him.
self, with lifetime income from
careful investments and with the
cheers of the crowd ringing in his
ears. If Ruth had been free to &c
his own way or had been handled by
less loving and patient hand than
Hugs he probably would have gone
out with the crowd hooting at him
No one but his closest friends know
the number of times Higgins had to
take emergency steps to save the Babe
from the humiliating consequences
of some rash act where he might have
made many enemies or might have
turned the nations fans against him
if Hug had not been true guardian
angel.
And so Ruth is honored and pros
porous and one day will find his way
into baseball's Hall of Fame because
baseball was good to him beyond
his desserts.
And now Ruth is Bitter" because
baseball does not continue to shower
favors upon him. That's gratitude
for you.