Hum Drum Report on Ruth’s 60th HR

On Friday. September 30, 1927, set the 60 HR mark that would stand alone as the MLB homer record for the next 34 years.

On Friday. September 30, 1927, set the 60 HR mark that would stand alone as the MLB homer record for the next 34 years.

The headlines rolled out pretty well, but the chopped-down Associated Press story of Babe Ruth’s 60th home run that survived its two-inch column way into the Bridgeport (CN) Telegram back on Saturday morning, October 1, 1927, was about as tasty as ice-cold watermelon without a single sprinkle of salt. Also note that only 8,000 fans showed up to see Ruth hit his 60th home run on the next to last game of the season, but cut fans a break here. People worked longer hours in 1927 – and All the games were played in the daylight hours when most employed fans were still working. The last game on Saturday, Oct. 1, 1927 would attract 20,000 fans to see the Yankees edge the Senators, 4-3, for their 110th win of the season, but they would not see Ruth extend his HR record. The Babe would go 0 for 3 on the day after he blasted new record HR # 60.

At any rate, here’s how this AP account of Ruth’s Sept. 30th record game flowed, or shall we say – blandly oozed:

**************************************************************

Ruth Sets New Home Run Mark by Driving Out 60th as Yanks Beat Senators, 4-2

RECORD-BREAKING HOMER BREAKS 2-2 DEADLOCK IN EIGHTH INNING; BABE ALSO SCORES THREE RUNS

New York, Sept. 30 – (By Associated Press). Babe Ruth’s sixtieth homer of the season, creating a new major league record, carried the New York Yankees to a 4 to 2 win over the Washington Senators today.

With the score tied at 2-2 in the eighth, Koenig (NY) tripled with one out and came home as Ruth shattered his old mark of 59 homers with a full-mash (sp) shot into the sun seats of the right field stands. Ruth also hit two singles and scored three of New York’s runs. The Yankees got to (Washington’s) Tom Zachary for single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to set the stage for Ruth’s record-smashing climax.

The score:

Baseball Almanac Box Scores: Washington Senators 2, New York Yankees 4
Game played on Friday, September 30, 1927 at Yankee Stadium I
Washington Senators ab   r   h rbi
Rice rf 3 0 1 0
Harris 2b 3 0 0 0
Ganzel cf 4 0 1 0
Goslin lf 4 1 1 0
Judge 1b 4 0 0 0
Ruel c 2 1 1 1
Bluege 3b 3 0 1 1
Gillis ss 4 0 0 0
Zachary p 2 0 0 0
  Johnson ph 1 0 0 0
Totals 30 2 5 2
New York Yankees ab   r   h rbi
Combs cf 4 0 0 0
Koenig ss 4 1 1 0
Ruth rf 3 3 3 2
Gehrig 1b 4 0 2 0
Meusel lf 3 0 1 2
Lazzeri 2b 3 0 0 0
Dugan 3b 3 0 1 0
Bengough c 3 0 1 0
Pipgras p 2 0 0 0
  Pennock p 1 0 0 0
Totals 30 4 9 4
Washington 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 0
New York 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 x 4 9 1
  Washington Senators IP H R ER BB SO
Zachary  L(8-13) 8.0 9 4 4 1 1
Totals
8.0
9
4
4
1
1
  New York Yankees IP H R ER BB SO
Pipgras 6.0 4 2 2 5 0
  Pennock  W(19-8) 3.0 1 0 0 1 0
Totals
9.0
5
2
2
6
0

E–Gehrig (15).  DP–Washington 2. Harris-Bluege-Judge, Gillis-Harris-Judge.  2B–Washington Rice (33).  3B–New York Koenig (10).  HR–New York Ruth (60,8th inning off Zachary 1 on 1 out).  Team LOB–7.  SH–Meusel (21).  Team–4.  SB–Rice (19); Ruel (9); Bluege (15).  U–Bill Dinneen, Tommy Connolly, Brick Owens.  T–1:38.  A–8,000.

Game played on Friday, September 30, 1927 at Yankee Stadium I
Baseball Almanac Box Score | Printer Friendly Box Scores

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5 Responses to “Hum Drum Report on Ruth’s 60th HR”

  1. bobcopusbob copus's avatar bobcopusbob copus Says:

    Thanks Bill. I am curious, I see that Pennock pitched the last 3 innings and recieved the win. It shows his record as 19-8 for the seaon. Was he a relief pitcher or a starter that was used for relief in this situation? Don’t see relief pitchers nowadays with win loss records such as this.

    Thanks

    Bob

    • Bill McCurdy's avatar Bill McCurdy Says:

      Bob – Pennock was a man of his era, a starter who relieved, as needed. In 1927, he started 26 and relieved in 8. In Ruth’s # 60 HR game, Pennock was making his last appearance of the regular season in any role as a reliever. He did not play in the next day’s last game of the season.

  2. Tom Hunter's avatar Tom Hunter Says:

    Assuming the picture at the top of the story was taken at your house, Bill, we have the same cookie jar.

  3. Anthony Cavender's avatar Anthony Cavender Says:

    I note that the reported attendance was 8000 for weekend game, which took les than 2 hours to play.

  4. Mark W.'s avatar Mark W. Says:

    Took 98 minutes to play. Amazing.

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