EFTA00295097.pdf

Babe Ruth Reference book "Who Was Babe Ruth" By Joan Holub I was born on February 6, 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland. My parents named me George Herman, Jr. I was one of 7 kids. Only my younger sister, Mamie, and me survived from infancy. I was a bad kid I stole applesfrom the store I skipped school I played baseball in the street and I snitched whiskey from my daddy's bar. At the age of seven my dad dropped me off at the St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys. This was a school that orphans and unwanted boys came to. The first few night's, I cried myself to sleep. All the teachers woke us up at 6:30 in the morning. We had a watchman keep his eye on us at all times so we couldn't sneak off or misbehave. It was a very strict place .One day in the schoolyard I met a man who changed my life! His name was Brother Matthias. He was a great baseball player. Baseball was the POPULAR sport at this time. Brother Matthias was calm and firm but alwaysfair. He paid attention to me like no one else ever had. I really looked up to him like he was my newfather. Brother Matthias started a league with about 40 teams. He chose the best players at the school. I was so good at baseball that when I was 8 I played with 12 year olds. I was left-handed and the school only had right hand gloves, this made it harderfor me to play baseball. I was a great catcher. One day I made fun of the pitcher so Matthias asked me to give it a try. I was outstanding! I was a real natural. I stayed at Saint Mary's school for 12 years. Jack Dunn, the head coach of the Orioles minor league team, came to watch me one day. He offered me 600 dollars a year to pitch for his team. I was thrilled and surprised! I didn't know in the pros you got paid. Along with the rest of the Orioles I took the train to Fayetteville North Carolina. never been outside of EFTA00295097 Baltimore before. One of my teammates showed me how to unfold my bed from the wall. My teammate told me to rest my arm in the pouch. The next day my arm was stiff. My teammates started laughing hysterically at me! They played a joke on me! The pouch was actually for storing clothes. My teammates were surprised that! ate 3 stacks of pancakes! They were more impressed by my pitching. Since I was only 19 when Dunn gave me my contract he had to become my legal guardian. My buddies on the Orioles referred to me as 'jack's newest babe". It is from this I became Babe Ruth! I enjoyed my time at the Orioles but Dunn sold me to the Red Sox. He sold me because ticket sales were low. I really made it NOW. I joined the team July 11, 1914. I was a great pitcher for the Red Sox. "Coach I want to try and hit the ball for our team. No your a great pitcher and we need you ought there". By 1918 I was one of the highest paid players around I got ten thousand dollars a year. That was awesome! EFTA00295098