The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-06-20
Ruth Draws l2,O00 Extra Fans First Day On The Job
By GEORGE KIRKSEY


 New York, June 19-UP)-Babe Ruth, the man who played poker with the major league magnates in an attempt to get managers job and lost, was successfully launched on a new career today-main side show attraction with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
 Tn his initial appearance as first base coach with the Dodgers at Eb- bets Field yesterday, Ruth drew an extra 12000 to 15,000 to a double header with the Chicago Cubs. The paid attendance was 28,013, about double the ordinary draw, accord ing to veteran Brooklyn scribes.
 Although Ruth's presence in a Brooklyn uniform has the rumor mongers insisting that he eventually will become manager of the Dodgers, Larry MacPhail, executive head of the club, insists that the Babe was hired for two reasons:
 1. To increase BrookIyn's draw ing power.
 9. To inspire the younger play CTS on the team.
 T figured Ruth is sure fire as Q drawing card and Sundays game proves it," said MacPhail. Hell help our attendance all around the league because fans want to see him. The young ball players on our club will all look up to him as an inspiration al guidance"
 Good Investment
 MacPhail believes that Ruth will pay his own salary-$15,00 ,000 for the rest of the 1888 season-in a few weeks and by the end of the season help pay off the $10O,000 bill for the installation of the lighting plant for night baseball at Ebbets Field. There is no question about Ruth's drawing power. The fans still vividly recall his slugging feats-his TIA homes top all other players-and his many sen- sational performances. That was evident by the way the crowd greet ed him when he came waddling on the field with that short, mincing step of his Sunday.
 They yelled for him to hit hom- CT in batting practice but three years of idleness have dulled his batting eye and he couldn't deliver anything except a foul over the right field fence. When he finished batting, Babe was huff1ng and putting and said:
 "Whew! Seems like was up there hitting for a week."
 The possibility of Ruth being placed on the active player list to serve as pinch-hitter seems remote but might happen if he can get into shape.
 I'm fat as a pig and it'd take me month to get into shape" he admitted.
 On the coaching lines Ruth showed plenty of pep, and encour- aged every batter as he started down the first base line. When a fly ball was hit, Ruth would look where the ball went and then yell to the run ner, Come on, kid, run hard" He clapped his hands, and generally showed enthusiasm for his new job. Perhaps because of his long idleness the Bambino made several technical blunders in handling base runners. Once he sent Kiki Cuyler down to second, and the Dodger was thrown out by three yards. Another time he yelled for runner to take an extra base when a throw got away from first baseball Rip Collins but the runner failed to heed him. It was a good thing as Collins played the ball off the stands and would have nailed the runner at second easily.
 Still Signs Elm
 Ruth still caters to the fans as shown by the fact that he'll always stop to sign his autograph. On the way from the Brooklyn dressing room Ruth was walking behind pitcher Van Mungo. A fan stuck out a scorecard and asked Mungo to sign 1t. He said, "Go way" When the fan asked Ruth, he said, Sure. Gim- me it."
 Ruth's only regret about his new job is that he will be deprived of a chance to win his clubs golf cham pionship.
 "Just when I was hot too." he said. "-ut I'm back in baseball and guess I can forget about golf fol a while"
 The Dodgers won the first game 6-2 while the Cubs won the secoAd 4-3