NBA

Babe Ruth’s Temper Cost Him the Yankees Captaincy After Only 5 Games on the Job

Disclosure
We publish independently audited information that meets our strong editorial guidelines. Be aware we may earn a commission if you purchase anything via links on our pages.
Babe Ruth only lasted five games as the captain of the New York Yankees.

When you hear the name Babe Ruth, certain things immediately spring to mind. Thanks to popular culture, we probably all envision the Bambino playing for the New York Yankees, eating hot dogs in between innings, and belting a record number of home runs out of the park. No one, however, is claiming that Ruth was an inspirational team leader in the clubhouse.

During his time with the Yankees, though, Babe Ruth did serve as the team’s captain. He lost the job, however, after only five days on the job.

Babe Ruth’s path to the New York Yankees

RELATED: Babe Ruth’s Life Is More Tragic Than You Think

While Babe Ruth became one of America’s first celebrity athletes during his time with the Yankees, he didn’t always ply his trade in the Big Apple. The Bambino was actually born in Baltimore, Maryland, where he grew up speaking German.

While Ruth was never an orphan, he did spend part of his youth at St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys. There, he first learned the game of baseball. Babe started out as a catcher but, before long, he began pitching; at the plate, he also proved to be a prolific hitter. In 1914, he signed a deal with the International League’s Baltimore Orioles, becoming a professional ballplayer.

The Orioles, however, struggled to compete with the Federal League’s Baltimore Terrapins and found themselves losing money. Faced with a bleak financial future, Owner Jack Dunn sold his promising pitcher to the Boston Red Sox.

After spending some time in the minors, Ruth joined the Red Sox and developed into a legitimate major leaguer. While he was a capable pitcher, everything changed in 1919. As more and more players found themselves heading off to war, Ruth began playing the field with increased frequency; while he kept pitching for a few more seasons, no manager could resist getting Babe in the lineup at every possible opportunity.

Becoming a living legend with the New York Yankees

RELATED: How Many Hall of Fame Votes Did Babe Ruth Get?

In December 1919, the Boston Red Sox infamously sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. From then on, Major League Baseball would never be the same.

While Ruth had shown plenty of talent in Boston, he truly blossomed into an offensive star in New York. During the 1920 campaign, Babe batted .376, piling up 172 hits, 54 home runs, and 135 RBIs; while those numbers are incredible by today’s standards, he was only getting started.

In all, Ruth spent 15 of his 22 Major League Baseball seasons with the New York Yankees; he hit .349 in the Bronx, adding 659 home runs, 1,978 RBIs, four World Series titles, one AL MVP, and one batting title to his resume. He also became an iconic American celebrity; whether you loved baseball or couldn’t stand sports, everyone knew the Babe.

After a brief stint with the Boston Braves, Ruth retired in 1935. Although he never got a chance to manage—that could be due to his personality or, as his daughter suggested, racism—he’s still remembered today as a baseball legend.

Babe Ruth lost the Yankees’ captaincy after five days in charge

During his time with the Yankees, Babe Ruth was the club’s star player. Despite that on-field talent, he failed miserably at acting as a leader.

As documented by the New York Times on May 15, 1922, Yankees’ manager Miller Huggins suspended Bobby Roth and named Babe Ruth the team’s captain. His reign only lasted five games, though. On May 25, the slugger threw dirt in the umpire’s face and climbed into the stands to confront a fan; as noted in another New York Times update, American League president Ban Johnson fined Ruth and stripped of the captaincy.

In the annals of baseball history, Babe Ruth’s offensive prowess will stand the test of time. His leadership ability, however, won’t be remembered as favorably.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference

Author photo
Joe Kozlowski
Sports Editor

Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he's a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie. Growing up loving Shaquille O'Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he's continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives. As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He's barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe's big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level. Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.

Get to know Joe Kozlowski better
Author photo
Joe Kozlowski Sports Editor

Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he's a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie. Growing up loving Shaquille O'Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he's continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives. As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He's barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe's big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level. Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.

All posts by Joe Kozlowski