Who Knew? Check out this mix of old newsreel and..

[Mike**Mize]

I just came stumbled upon this video this morning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBOQfr2L ... ture=share
Some amazing shots and footage of gloves too. There's one towering shot toward the end of the song that can't be missed. Even the Babe seems awestruck by what he's just done.

[softball66]

Thanks Mike for posting. The "thing" that caught me was the Babe's stance (s), swing(s). They all looked different. It was no picturesque swing, off balance, full blown, the feet together stance in some pix (one even crossing back over the back foot). He claimed to have copied Joe Jackson's stance. Off balance finish. Not a film you would show on "how to bat."
But hey what marvelous results! He WAS one of a kind. Bat speed that we don't want to know about.
I'll never forget the remark: "Gehrig watches Ruth take batting practice. Ruth doesn't watch Gehrig."

[Mike**Mize]

Hi Joe, Always good to hear from you. I agree with about the Babe's approach to hitting. He kept pretty busy in the batter's box. Kinda reminds me of a old guy I used to play fast pitch softball with. At times, Babe would time out his steps to the pitch. He'd walk up and meet the ball with what could almost be described as a dance step. On film it looks like a timing devise, no different in a way from Gary Sheffield's bat waggle, Through it all, his head stays right on the same plain; and then BAM and those little legs get busy taking him off around the bases. Love the head first slide, too. You can almost hear the announcer saying, "Kids; don't try this at home." . But I bet lots of kids back then tried to imitate his hitting style.

[softball66]

Mike, I hear ya. You know I was telling a baseball friend at lunch about Babe's cavorting . . . then it hit me, he may have know the camera was running and he clowned a bit batting and running.
But, you're absolutely right about not moving the head, we caught that in a slow pitch tournament the other day when one of our hitters was complaining about his hitting. He, at times, looked like a bobble head. Ruth had his dance steps timed and hitting is about rhythm and timing. He probably compensated with his strength and quickness when he was off a bit.
You know, as a kid I remember so many youngsters trying to emulate Joe DiMaggio's wide stance and stride. Worked for Joe but probably ruined a lot of potential fine hitters.
Babe's head first side was no arm's outstretched just plugged his head into the catcher's stomach. Then lay there. Catcher looked at him like "you ok?" Oh yeah!
The only swing I remember in fast pitch was "MISS."

[Mike**Mize]

After I wrote back to you I took another look at this collection of at bats. Seems on that last one where he's moving way up in the box, he's timing an off-speed pitch by forcing himself to "stay back" as they say. As a righty hitter, I can remember times when I'd see the first baseman playing wide of the bag and if I was feeling in a certain groove, I'd shift my stance once the pitch was thrown, getting up in the box and giving my back to the pitcher, and waiting 'til the ball was right on the plate and then sending it right down the right field line. Wade Boggs used to do the same thing from the left side. Nothing shakes up an infield more than doing exactly the opposite of what everyone's expecting. Babe didn't have to worry about tricks of that nature. He'd just haul back and let the bat fly. Also in this footage there are some great corkscrew shots of what he looked like swinging and missing.