Babe Ruth: Corked Shot

Baseball historians recently discovered 53 of Babe Ruth’s bats and found that all of them were corked. Twenty-one of the bats were labeled as being used in the seasons of 1930, 1931, and 1932. The remaining bats had no date markings.

A cork sample taken from one of Ruth’s 1931 baseball bats.

Corked bats are illegal in professional baseball because cork reduces the bat’s weight and shifts the center of mass to the bat’s handle. The result is a faster swing with little to no reduction in hitting power. Naturally, this helps batters send the ball farther.

What will remain a mystery for the foreseeable future is knowing when Babe Ruth used the bats. The obvious time now in question is Babe Ruth’s “Called Shot.” This famous moment in baseball history took place in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series between the Yankees and Cubs. Ruth was facing a 2-2 count when he pointed out to center field as if to tell everyone where the next pitch would end up. The next pitch was a curveball, and it was launched deep past the center field wall.

Lou Gehrig, one of Ruth’s teammates, said, “What do you think of the nerve of that big monkey. Imagine the guy calling his shot and getting away with it.” Gehrig was remarking, along with many others, at the unusual confidence Ruth displayed during that at-bat. The unusual confidence could be because he knew he had an advantage with the corked bat.

Several of Babe Ruth’s baseball bats from historic moments are on display, but they will never be analyzed for fear of damaging the valuable artifacts. With a lifetime .342 batting average and .609 slugging percentage, Ruth’s abilities as a baseball player are undeniable despite the use of corked baseball bats. Just how great he really was, we’ll never know.

All-Time Major League Baseball Homerun Hitters

1. *Barry Bonds 762

2. Hank Aaron 755

3. *Babe Ruth 714

4. Willie Mays 660

5. *Sammy Sosa 609

The Red Baron: A Lesson in Literally Altering History

Baron Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron) was a WWI German flying ace who altered the books in order to give himself 80 confirmed air combat victories. He was a member of an aristocratic family with many famous relatives who pressured him into his dishonest actions.

Richthofen was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by his high school classmates. Mysteriously, nobody claims to have voted for him. Manfred tallied the election votes and declared to his dying day that he was the unanimous decision.

He was schooled in Schweidnitz, Germany for a period of time in which he began to develop a habit of not cheating, but altering his score when the teacher was not looking. On one occasion, he broke into the school late at night and changed everybody’s scores for the past four weeks in mathematics. Confused, but optimistic, the professor rewarded the class handsomely throughout the rest of the semester for their great work in mathematics.

From 1911 to 1915, Richthofen served in the German cavalry and infantry before requesting to be in the flying service. For the first two months, he was an observer on reconnaissance missions, which is when he recorded his first kill. The sensation was intoxicating for Richthofen. Manfred’s devious ways began to rush back into his veins.

Manfred would often fly solo and return, reporting that he had downed an enemy craft. The field staff were confused many times as Richthofen often came back with a cool gun and multitudes of ammunition. He would also sneak into the field office and change his flight records to reflect a higher number of kills than was truthful.

In the end, Richthofen’s sin found him out. It was on April 21, 1918 when he was killed while flying near the Somme River. He was shot through the lung and died shortly after making an emergency landing. Not until recently was it discovered that Richthofen accidentally shot himself in a field as he was trying to adjust his triplane’s guns.

Author’s Suggested Reading: The Red Baron Update

The Lost Colony of Roanoke

Previously unsolved, the fate of The Lost Colony of Roanoke has been discovered. Archeologists have uncovered a map, a diary, an axe, and many cracked skulls, leading experts to believe that as they were leading the colony to a nearby island, the men got lost and did not ask local tribes for directions.

The journey west was full of twists and turns, but the men should have asked for directions

Below are some of the entries from the diary of Jane Jones, wife of John Jones:

May 2, 1587

We’ve just started our journey westward to leave behind the enemies we have made on the island of Roanoac. The group is comprised of 79 people, only 4 women including me.

May 3, 1587

We’re back in Roanoac, we had to turn around because I forgot a baking dish. The weather is clear, traveling has been good. We’ve made good time so far. I also forgot to pack some juice in the cooler.

May 9, 1587

This is the worst trip of my life. Not only did my husband misplace the diary, but we’ve just discovered that we’ve been walking in circles for the past week. I have to relieve myself and they won’t stop for me.

May 10, 1587

So we’re back in Roanoac. John thought the sun rose in the West.

May 11, 1587

The four of us women are growing very impatient. None of the men will admit that they are lost. They all say that they know where they are going. Why do men never ask for directions? We just passed a very nice looking Indian chief with bones in his nose.

May 12, 1587

I still have to relieve myself.

May 13, 1587

I found an axe today.

May 14, 1587

I feel better now.

So there it is, the fate of The Lost Colony of Roanoke. Jane Jones violently took the lives of all 75 men. Even in those primitive times, it held true that men should always ask for directions and never stand between a woman and the restroom. The female bladder is an unruly evil.

Snapshot of History: Millard Who?

Lost shortly after he left office in 1853, the name of the thirteenth President of the United States was quickly forgotten. One of the more forgettable presidents, Millard was not known for being productive. Rumor has it that his last name was “Fillmore.”

Dr. Guillotin and His Get Rich Quick Schemes

Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, credited with making the guillotine famous, was a man who was before his time and was largely unsuccessful in his get rich quick schemes.

Born in 1738, Guillotin grew up to always seek acceptance and great wealth. He began shining shoes at the age of eight and from then on he jumped from career to career. At one point he peddled carrot juice, which launched him toward his first large undertakings, the Juiceman Juicer and the Magic Bullet Blender. Neither gained much popularity until the late 1900s when they were reborn and aired as television infomercials.

After the failure of those two products, Guillotin decided to enter the medical profession. Through correspondence courses at Phoenix University, Guillotin became Dr. Guillotin. After three months as a urologist, Dr. Guillotin once again became interested in the food industry. He devised a mechanism that would cut fruits and vegetables quickly – effectively shortening the packaging process at farms.

“The Slicer Dicer” could be anyone’s for just three easy payments of $199. Two lettuce head baskets were included if people called within the first thirty minutes.

He did fairly well for a couple of years in this business, becoming well-known in the agricultural community. On October 10, 1789, an employee of his was working to clear blockage from the machine. Tragically, the razor on the mechanism fell and cut through the employee’s neck like a radish. Guillotin squealed with delight at the possibilities as the French Revolution had recently begun.

Dr. Guillotin approached both the French government and the common people in an attempt to sell his product. Both groups bought it up like hotcakes. After his success with the guillotine, the prolific entrepreneur tried to sell a piece of exercise equipment he had devised known as The Gazelle. Like his juicers, it was not a success in his lifetime but is now a staple in almost every American home. They can be yours with just a few easy payments.