It was October 1, 1932 during game three of the World Series. The mighty Babe Ruth, playing in what would be the final World Series of his storied career, stepped up to the plate in the fifth inning with score between the Yankees and Chicago Cubs tied 4-4.
The Cubs fans had been jawing at Ruth and the Yankees all day, helping lend ‘the friendly confines’ moniker to Wrigley Field. Cubs pitcher Charlie Root got two strikes on Ruth and the fans were letting him have it. That’s when it happened … Ruth pointed with two fingers, put the bat back on his shoulder and then crushed the next pitch deep over the center field wall at Wrigley.
The debate has been raging ever since then. Was Ruth pointing at the dugout? Was he letting the fans know that was only two strikes? Or was he calling his shot?
Ruth, naturally, says he was letting the pitcher know he was about to go yard on him. Root, the pitcher, says if Ruth had been pointing at the outfield then the next pitch would have been at his ear, not over the plate.
Whether Ruth did or did not call his shot is irrelevant. The play just added to the lore and mystique of baseball. We’re still talking about the called shot nearly 100 years later.
I will never have the skills Babe Ruth had (who does?). But I can be a lot clearer than Babe was. Let there be no confusion or ambiguity around this.
I am calling my shot. The University of Texas baseball team will win the College World Series in 2026.
I’ve got five good reasons why.
