Babe Ruth's Canadian Connection

There was this great interview today on Sounds Like Canada, that dealt with the career of Babe Ruth. Turns out that on this day in 1914, Ruth hit his first professional homerun right here in Toronto.

The Babe was playing for the International League's Providence Grays which, were affiliated with the Boston Red Sox. The Grays were playing a double header against the baseball Maple Leafs and Ruth was slated to pitch in the first game. Not only did his team win 9-0 but, Ruth helped his own cause by belting a three-run shot in the sixth inning. The baseball probably now lies somewhere on the bottom of Lake Ontario.

But that's not where Ruth's connection with Canada ends. Apparently, the man who taught him how to play baseball (a priest at a boarding school Ruth grew up in) was Canadian; Ruth's first wife came from Nova Scotia; and, Ruth loved to go hunting in the Maritimes.

How about that? An American legend has roots right here in Canada.

The Hek

-Be sure to check out Episode Eight of the Audio Circus Podcast-