1914: Ruth’s first pro home run just one of many

From the Northwest Herald: Ruth’s first pro home run just one of many
On this day (Sept. 5) in 1914, 19-year-old George Herman “Babe” Ruth hit his first and only home run as a minor league baseball player when he launched what had been reported to be a 440-foot blast while a member of the International League Baltimore Orioles.

However, Ruth’s overall hitting statistics as a minor leaguer (first with the Orioles and then briefly with the Providence Grays), were less than spectacular. His batting average for 121 at-bats was .231, with only one home run.

It was, however, for his obvious skill as a left-handed pitcher that he initially was signed to a professional baseball contract. In 1914, Ruth compiled, in 244 innings, an impressive 23 wins and only eight losses.

Ruth’s first baseball contract, signed for the year 1914, was for $600 to play for his hometown Baltimore team. All during 1913, Orioles’ owner Jack Dunn had been scouting the young southpaw, who was pitching in Baltimore for a local semi-pro team.

Ruth’s new Baltimore teammates immediately referred to the new young pitcher as Dunn’s “new babe,” and thus he became immediately and famously the “Babe,” or Babe Ruth.