The History of Baseball 1930-1940
Baseball suffered, as many could not afford to pay even the $0.50 admission into the games. For the few that could manage a ticket the admission was all they could pay for and if they did have a nickel for a ballpark hot dog it would be their only meal of the day. The owners of baseball clubs watched as ticket sales dropped tremendously.
In an effort to gather crowds Major League baseball offered a variety of unheard of promotions hoping to get the attention of the public. Teams started playing night games, holding beauty contests, giving away groceries, and having mortgage nights. These stunts brought in a few thousand to watch the games and kept a few franchises open.
Some of these promotions were able to help out black players who were part of the Negro League. Owners staged games pitting black teams against white players in an effort to draw both black and white crowds to the stands. This gave black players a chance to show off what they could do to the crowd. Out of 438 games the black players won 309 games. The black players were determined to hold their own and prove that black players were just as good as white players.
In this decade black players still felt the sting of racism. Blacks were the only minority who were not allowed to play in major league baseball. The members of the Negro League had a loyal following and one of the greatest highlights of game time was watching the players warm up. Often they would not even bother using a real ball they would throw an imaginary ball pretending to catch it and tag each other out. These warm ups would be referred to as shadow ball.
Even with their own stars such as Leroy Satchel Paige. Satchel played was known as one of the greatest pitcher’s in the Negro League and possibly of all time. Any struggling black league would get Satchel to pitch for them because he was guaranteed to draw a crowd. His fastball was so amazing that it came to be known as his midnight rider. Some spectators thought that he was playing shadow ball because no one actually saw an actually ball being thrown.
While Satchel and other black players drew crowds in many ways they had to work twice as hard as white players. Often teams would travel all night in cramped busses to play four games in one day. Their seasons were longer and pay was much less. Many players only made $100 a season with a $0.50 a day budget for food while others (like Leroy Paige) were paid by the game.
Some times the players went days without baths because they could not find a person that would let them use their showers. More often than not the players were forced to sleep on the bus because hotels would not let blacks rent rooms from them. One player spoke of how if they found a place that would let them buy a sandwich from the back of a shop they would gladly accept the offer. They were hungry and weren’t about to stage a protest.
In the mean time white baseball players were trying to do what they could to keep the crowds happy and the money rolling in. Many smaller teams were forced out of business but larger franchises, like the New York Yankees, were still doing well. Big stars like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig still brought in large crowds and got the attention of the press.
At the beginning of the 1930s Babe Ruth was paid an unheard of 160,000, which at the time was more than the president. When asked by the press if he thought this was appropriate Babe Ruth stated that he had a better year than the president. With 25% of the population unemployed and many trying to find ways to find their next meals a ball player was being paid more than the nations leader.
His rival, and fellow teammate, Lou Gehrig was also in the public’s eye. At this point he was known as the American League’s best hitter and was still a crowd favorite. While the press and crowds loved Babe Ruth’s unforgettable nature Lou Gehrig’s politeness and good nature was also liked and better tolerated.
On June 30th 1932 Lou Gehrig set a record hitting four home runs in one game. This feat should have been a major headline in all of the nations sports papers but instead it was overshadowed by a shocking announcement. After 30 years in baseball John McGraw decided that he would no longer be managing the Giants. The team he had loved and fought to make number one was now last place and that probably took all the heart out of him.
Through out his entire career John McGraw was only worried about winning. He even wanted to go against the understandings of the owners and hire black players. Shortly after leaving the game John McGraw passed away and among his possessions his wife found a list of black players he would have liked to sign.
In 1932 Babe Ruth caused another commotion during a game against the Chicago Cubs. When he and his wife left the hotel heading for the stadium they were immediately greeted by jeering Cub fans. During the game Ruth was pelted by abuse and he yelled back at the crowds. According to him it was great fun, not only was the opposing team worked up but so were their fans.
During the first inning of the game Ruth hit a three-run homer while the crowd cursed and taunted him. When he came up again in the fifth two strikes and two balls went past him while the crowd continued to hurl abuse. Some one claimed that Ruth told the pitcher, Charles Root, that it only took one and then made a gesture.
Many witnesses claimed that he pointed into center field but others say he was just gesturing towards the pitcher, the stands, or the Cub dugout. Then he hit the farthest home run every seen at Wrigley Field right into center field. The moment became famous, as Babe Ruth never cleared up the confusion. Lou Gehrig was also annoyed angry that Babe Ruth could call his shot and get away with it.
While the Yankee’s were getting their second wind yet another national disaster was taking place. A drought saw many farmers with failed crops and reposed farms. Boys and men made the trek to Florida in hopes of becoming baseball stars. At the time baseball was one of the only sources of steady employment for anyone. Few of the boys actually were able to try out and others were simply turned away.
In yet another effort to boost sales of baseball tickets the Major League owners organized an All Star Game. To get fans involved by letting the fans vote on who would be in the game through advertisements in the papers. Not to be undone the Negro League did the same letting black fans vote through advertisements in their favorite black papers.
Though Major League baseball was still staying alive in spite of the Depression two of the Yankee’s star players were no longer speaking. After a disagreement between Babe Ruth’s wife and Lou Gehrig’s beloved mother the two players cut ties. Aside from his problems with Gehrig Ruth had other things to worry about.
Physically Babe Ruth was starting to decline. He ate and drank to much causing him to slow down and gain weight. Ruth began taking embarrassing pay cuts and argued often with the Yankee’s new manager. Babe Ruth felt that he should be managing a baseball team but this idea was ridiculed as the new manager stated Babe Ruth could hardly manage himself let alone a team.
Desperate to keep himself in the public eye Babe Ruth went to Tokyo on tour and it was a great success. He came back after being adored by the Japanese people only to find that the Yankee’s no longer needed his services. On May 25th 1935 Babe Ruth hit his last game leaving with 714 hits. His wife later said that Babe spent the rest of his life waiting by the phone for a managing offer that never came.
Shortly after Babe Ruth left from baseball his rival Lou Gehrig experienced a sudden physical decline. The man who once said he would never miss a game was suddenly missing even the easiest hits. He barely had the energy to stand. Confused and embarrassed Gehrig consulted a physician and was diagnosed with the incurable Amyforophic lateral sclerosis disease and had to retire from the game.
At his last game he gave a rousing speech and when he was finished talking the crowd of over 60,000 cheered him. Babe Ruth rushed from the stands to hug his once again friend past rivalries forgotten. Lou Gehrig was inducted into the Hall of Fame and his number (#4) was retired. He died on June 2nd on 1941 of what is now referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
