Babe Ruth played and hit a home run in Medina 100 years ago today
Contributed Photo – Babe Ruth
He probably wouldn’t recognize the park with the artificial turf, large digital scoreboard and grandstand but 100 years ago today the legendary Babe Ruth played a baseball game at Vets Park (then Oak Orchard Park) during his 1920 post season barnstorming tour.
Ruth, who was coming off the first of his big home run seasons for the New York Yankees (54 homers, 135 RBI, .376 batting average) lived up to his nickname “The Sultan of Swat” by belting a home run to highlight Medina’s 6-2 win over the Lockport All-Stars.
However, the first homer of the day was belted by Lockport’s Fenton “Darb” Whalen.
Ruth, who struck out in his first at bat, came on strong with hits in his last three at bats. He banged out an RBI triple off the right field fence in the fourth inning, belted a two-run home run over the right field fence in the sixth inning and a single to right field in the eighth.
Newspaper accounts also report that the Babe put on quite a hitting display in pre game batting practice sending some 15 balls over the outfield fence before organizers halted the practice fearing he would lose all of the balls they had in stock for the game.
