The Gift of the Bambino

This past Saturday the Flemington Neshanock traveled to Delanco, New Jersey to help honor an historic baseball moment that took place in the south Jersey community almost a century ago.  On July 1, 1924, the immortal Babe Ruth, the greatest baseball player of all time, not only played in game at the local ball field, he hit a home run.  This was the third time the Neshanock participated in this event.  On both prior occasions, the weather gods didn't cooperate.  The first visit to Delanco was marred by rain that wiped out the second game of a doubleheader while the second visit took place in extreme heat and humidity.  The organizers could have been forgiven if they expected a plague of locusts this time. However, switching the event to September seemed to work as it was a great, not to mention splendiferous, day for baseball.

The Bambino

The Liberty Club of New Brunswick were Flemington's guests for what was team founder Lawrence Major's final game as team captain.  The central Jersey club was shorthanded, but Chris Tonstad of the Elizabeth Resolutes filled in as did Ken "Tumbles" Mandel and Tom "Hawk" Prioli of the Neshanock.  "Hawk" brought with him three of what seem to be innumerable siblings so the Liberty had a full roster.  The Neshanock won the toss and elected to take the field. The Liberty went to the striker's line where they tallied twice, but  Flemington answered with five in the first and six in the second to take an early 11-2 lead.  

All color pictures courtesy of Mark Granieri

Surprisingly there wasn't much scoring after that and Flemington prevailed 15-4 in a game played in only one hour and eight minutes.  The Neshanock offense was led by Tom "Thumbs" Hoepfner and Mike Schroller with three hits apiece.  Mike earned a clear score in his very first vintage game and we would, of course, love to have him back.  Danny "Lefty" Gallagher also had a clear score.  Fortunately for him, he got a hit his last time up, otherwise it would have been a muff based or "unearned" clear score. Dan "Sledge" Hammer and Tony Panera each had two hits while seven other Neshanock including "Lefty" had one hit.  After a break, the two teams decided to divide up into two "picked nine" teams and played a seven inning game won by by Lawrence Major's team.

Ernie "Shredder" Albanesius shows good form at the striker's line

As noted Saturday's event commemorated a home run hit by Babe Ruth at what was then called Delanco Field. New Jersey home runs by the Sultan of Swat were, to use classic doubletalk, rare, but not uncommon.  According to one source, the Babe hit a home run (sometimes more than one) at a dozen different locations throughout the Garden State.  Interestingly three were hit while he was playing in exhibition games for each of his three major league clubs.  Readers can be forgiven if they need a moment to remember what team Ruth played for besides the Red Sox and Yankees. In the last of his 22 major league seasons, the Bambino played briefly for the Boston Braves and hit an exhibition game home run at Newark's Ruppert Stadium. 

No one had to be asked twice to partake of the free lunch provided by our hosts

Although it probably wasn't by design, the Babe's visits to New Jersey, tended to follow a standard script beginning with the anticipation of the Sultan of Swat's visit.  That was certainly the case in Delanco where a Camden County Courier headline proclaimed that "All Burlington County is getting ready to greet Babe Ruth at Delanco." On the big day,  a carnival like atmosphere took over with the streets of Delanco full of farmers, "pretty girls," "aspiring baseball stars," and "fathers with large families in tow." As in the other 11 venues, the Babe attracted a record setting crowd, in this case over 5,000 fans. Naturally this included "droves" of kids who "crowded around the Bambino" just "for the opportunity to shake hands."  As was often the case, Ruth played for the local Delanco team against a team of Burlington County all-stars.  

One of the largest Neshanock turnouts of the season watches Joe "Mick" Murray at the line

In his first two at bats, the Babe hit a double that appeared "tied on the tail of a comet" and then blasted one "like a rifle shot" that went straight to an outfielder for a hard earned out.  Impressive, but not what the fans came for.  In the top of the fifth, Ruth was at bat with a runner on third and a full count.  The 3-2 pitch was a little high, but the Babe swung and hit the ball so far over the fence in deep right center, it "almost ruined an apple orchard."  The blast drove in what proved to be the winning runs for Delanco.  Even though the crowd doubtless wanted the home team to win, in the top of the ninth, some seemed to be rooting for the all-stars to tie the game so Ruth could bat once more.

Never doubt the efficacy of prayer

While the Delanco game more or less followed the standard script for such contests, there were some important differences.   Ruth was typically paid a healthy fee for these appearances, sometimes $1,000 per game.  Yet according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, on this occasion, "he received nary a cent," although it's certainly possible money changed hands behind the scenes. Even more unique, however, is the timing of the Babe's visit.  Not only was it during the regular season, the Delanco game took place in the early evening after Ruth played for the Yankees in Philadelphia that same afternoon.  And the following day, he was back in the City of Brotherly Love for a doubleheader.  

Philadelphia Inquirer - July 2, 1924

Exactly how the Delanco visit came about isn't clear, but regardless of whether or not Ruth was paid, his time, in the middle of the season, was a gift to the people of Delanco. Predictably the Courier said the game "will never be forgotten by those who were there."  But Babe Ruth's visit to Delanco continues to be remembered even after all the eyewitnesses have passed on. Remembered in a way that is the major difference from similar games in the Garden State. Unlike the other 11 New Jersey venues, the field in Delanco is named in the Babe's honor - a gift to the Bambino, a thank you for his gift made almost a century ago.