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  forgotten players:the ruthian connection

PING BODIE AND SAMMY VICK

 

Both of the above players were connected to BABE RUTH in one way or another. Both are pretty much forgotten these days although  Ping Bodie  was a star of sorts during his time. Sammy Vick  was a journeyman player  but the connection with Mr. Ruth  Is there for him!

 

PING BODIE:

FRANCISCO “PING” BODIE was born in 1887 and passed away in 1961. He is barely remembered these days but was a ball player of note in the early 1900s.   He was a legitimate power hitter during the deadball era and was noted for using one of the heaviest bats in the history of the game. It was a 52 ouncer and for a man of his size (5’ 10”) he handled it like a toothpick. He got the nickname “PING” because that was the sound the ball made when it came off his bat. We’ll let you come up with your own explanation for his other nickname, “THE WONDERFUL BOP.

In 1910, while in the PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE he hit an astounding 30 homeruns (remember this was 1910)…..a feat which instantly elevated him to the big leagues.

Ring Lardner patterned the main character from his famed series of baseball stories, “YOU KNOW ME AL” after Bodie and the kind of player and person he was.

His lifetime statistics are a .275 batting average, 43 homeruns, and 516 runs batted in.  

So why are we talking about Bodie and his connection with The Sultan of swat?

The answer is that Bodie was Ruth’s very first roommate when he came to the Yankees.

When asked by reporters how it felt to have the Babe as his roomie his answer was that he wouldn’t know…..he roomed with his suitcase. The Babe would not come into his room at the hotel (if he got there at all) until five or six in the morning. Bodie also had some sensational stories about Ruth’s goings on in several brothels in the various towns they played in.

After his playing days were over he worked as an electrician and part time actor in Hollywood for 32 years.

He is also known to have participated in a spaghetti eating contest in 1910 which he won….his opponent was an ostrich who passed out after the 11^th plate. 

SAMMY VICK:

His full name was Samuel Bruce Vick and he was born in 1895 and passed away in 1986 at the age of 91!

He was an undistinguished outfielder who played (when he played) rightfield. He barely reached 5’ 9” and weighed in at 160+.

From 1917 until 1920 he was with the Yankees and along with MUDDY RUEL, DEL PRATT, HANK THORMAULEN was traded to the Boston Red Sox for WAITE HOYT, WALLY SCHANG, HARRY HARPER, and MIKE McNALLY.

He played for five seasons ending up with a lifetime total of .248 (161 hits in 641 times at bat) and 2 homeruns in 213 games.

His best season was 1919. He had by far the most times at bat, (407), batted .247 and with 2 homers which equaled his career totals.

What was his connection with the great Ruth?

The Babe replaced him in rightfield for New York and the rest was history.