New York Yankees: Three Braves Pitchers Refused to Pitch If Ruth Played Defense

Babe Ruth started in Boston and there was an excellent chance that he would finish in Boston.

Baseball's 1934 winter meetings occurred while Ruth was touring Japan with a group of All-Stars that included Jimmie Foxx, Left Grove, Earl Averill and Lou Gehrig and was managed by Connie Mack.

At the winter meetings, the Boston Braves spoke to the New York Yankees with respect to obtaining Ruth.

In an effort to meet the challenge of the increasing popularity of the Boston Red Sox, Braves vice president Charles Adams discussed Ruth's future with Yankees owner Col. Jacob Ruppert. Ruth would become Braves manager Bill McKechnie's assistant as well as a pinch-hitter and part-time player.

Both Ruppert and Adams denied that the meeting had taken place.

Ruppert told Adams that he would agree to the arrangement, but insisted that Ruth would eventually manage the Braves.

The other American League owners weren't pleased because the American team that faced the Japanese teams had drawn tremendous crowds, confirming the fact that Ruth was still the greatest drawing card in not only baseball, but in all of sports.

They didn't want to turn Ruth over to the National League, much less to the Braves now that the Red Sox were becoming more than just a respectable team thanks to owner Tom Yawkey's millions of dollars.

There was hope that Philadelphia Athletics owner Connie Mack, who also was the A's manager, would determine on the Japanese tour that Ruth was disciplined enough to replace him as manager.

Ruppert would allow Ruth to become a free agent, which would allow him to pick his new team. The 41-year-old Ruth had played his last game as a Yankee.

Ruth insisted that in 1935, he would either manage or quit.

"I won't sign a player's contract, and I will quit baseball if I fail to land a manager's job."

He believed that American League owners would do almost anything to prevent him from going to the National League.

After Ruth's last game on the Japanese tour, rumors were swirling that Mack had a deal in place with Ruth for the great slugger to manage the Athletics.

On Feb. 26, 1936, the Yankees released Ruth. That same day, he signed a three-year contract with the Boston Braves as a player and assistant manager.

Two unnamed American League owners wanted to stop Ruth from leaving the American League, but since he was a 10-year-man, he had the power to demand his unconditional release.

In addition, no American League team was willing to sign Ruth.

Ruth did poorly with the Braves. He could still hit on occasion, but his physical condition was so poor that was all that he could do.

His defense was so poor that three Braves pitchers  threatened not to pitch if Ruth were in the lineup. He retired on May 27, 1935. 

Babe Ruth never managed a major league team.