{"id":172,"featured":1,"modified":"2025-10-06 16:40:56","latitude":43.2152482926639009974678629077970981597900390625,"longitude":-78.3924615383148193359375,"title":"\"Sultan of Swat\" Plays Exhibition Game at Medina","address":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/expo.matthewrballard.com\/files\/square_thumbnails\/f5cbc559def8880e8e31af21ef682f8c.jpg","creator":["Matthew R. Ballard"],"description":"February 6th marked the 125th birthday of George Herman \u201cBabe\u201d Ruth. After a stint with Jack Dunn\u2019s Baltimore Orioles, Ruth\u2019s contract was sold to the Boston Red Sox on July 4, 1914 and once again to the New York Yankees in 1919 for $100,000. Those hardened baseball fans know the rest of the story, the superstitious \u201cCurse of the Bambino\u201d and subsequent Red Sox World Series drought.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nRuth made a visit to Medina on October 18, 1920, playing as a ringer for \u201cBing\u201d Cleary\u2019s Medina baseball club against Jimmy Mack\u2019s Harrisons of Lockport. Playing at what is now Veterans Park along with Carl Mays, Fred Hoffman, and James \u201cTruck\u201d Hannah, the Medina club shelled out $2,000 to bring the quartet to Orleans County. Cleary announced in the local papers that advanced-sale grandstand tickets were unavailable and that all sales would take place the afternoon of October 18th. After the close of the game, the ticket sales came up approximately $400 short of the needed $2,000. Local accounts indicate that the \u201cSultan of Swat\u201d put on a home run exhibition before the game, launching 15 balls over the fence. Cleary was forced to step in and stopped the demonstration as Ruth threatened to knock all the team\u2019s balls out of the park before the game even started.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nIt was anticipated that Ruth would pitch for the game, but during a game at Binghamton the week prior he sprained his wrist. The Bambino played first base for the duration of the game, while Carl Mays took the mound and Hoffman played behind home plate. Although Ruth was just beginning to establish himself as a major hitter, he fanned on his first at bat for the game against Lockport\u2019s Bert Lewis. It was \u201cFin\u201d Whalen of Lockport who hit the first ball out of the park. Whalen later recalled, as he rounded first base, that Ruth remarked, \u201cBeat me to it, eh Red?\u201d Ruth later hit a home run and triple in Medina\u2019s 6-2 victory over Lockport.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nRuth\u2019s visit to Medina is legendary, although those who would recall firsthand have since passed. Over the years, variations of the story have appeared in local papers, including notations that the game occurred in 1921 rather than 1920, occurred on October 19th instead of the 18th, and that Jeff Tesreau of the NY Giants played instead of \u201cTruck\u201d Hannah. Of course, Ruth\u2019s connection to Orleans County was not limited to his visit in 1920. Carl Fischer, \u201cThe Medina Mauler,\u201d struck out Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Sam Byrd consecutively during his time as a pitcher with the Detroit Tigers in 1932.<br \/>\r\n","sponsor":"","subtitle":"","accessinfo":"","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":[],"files":{"https:\/\/expo.matthewrballard.com\/files\/fullsize\/f5cbc559def8880e8e31af21ef682f8c.jpg":{"id":280,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","title":"Babe Ruth&#039;s First Season with the New York Yankees","thumbnail":"https:\/\/expo.matthewrballard.com\/files\/square_thumbnails\/f5cbc559def8880e8e31af21ef682f8c.jpg","description":"Paul Thompson"}}}