Babe Ruth SABR bio by Allan Wood:
Ruth took a $17,000 pay cut in 1934. His $35,000 contract was still the highest in the game, but it was his lowest salary since 1921. On July 13, in Detroit, Babe hit his 700th career home run. Three days later, he drew his 2,000th walk.
In August, during the Yankees’ last trip at Fenway, a record crowd of 48,000 turned out, assuming it would be Ruth’s last appearance in Boston. The fans cheered everything Ruth did. When he grounded out in his final at-bat, he was given a long, standing ovation...
On the other hand, for what was rumored to be his final home game in a Yankees uniform, only 2,000 fans showed up. Babe played only one inning, being replaced by a pinch-runner after drawing a walk.
Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, not wanting Ruth to return in any capacity in 1935, worked out a secret deal with Boston Braves owner Emil Fuchs. Fuchs would offer Ruth a contract that included the titles of “assistant manager” and “vice president”. Ruth loved the idea and when he informed Ruppert, the Yankee owner said he wouldn’t stand in Ruth’s way. At spring training in 1935, Ruth learned that the Yankees had already assigned his #3 to George Selkirk. They were also using his locker to store firewood.
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Does some of it remind you of today's Alex Rodriguez stuff?
Cautionary tale for Rodriguez. Ruth was never made a manager of any kind by the Braves, who only wanted the Babe to play, then they dumped him soon after he hit his final three home runs, all in one game on Saturday May 25, 1935 in Pittsburgh. Ruth's batting average was .181.
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