Red Sox: 105 years ago, Babe Ruth hits first HR ever… against the Yankees
By Manny Gómez
As a member of the Red Sox, Babe Ruth was mostly a pitcher, but in a game against the Yankees in 1915 he launched his first-ever home run. Here’s the story
It was only his eighth ever MLB game when Babe Ruth, then a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, stepped up to the plate against Jack Warhop (aka “Crab”) of the New York Yankees and launched his first-ever home run.
The date was May 6, 1915; 105 years ago exactly. At the time, Yankee Stadium wasn’t even a thought. Instead, the Yanks played at the Polo Grounds across the McCombs Dam Bridge in Manhattan.
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Today, the only memory of the Polo Grounds exists on a plaque commemorating the approximate location of home plate. Across the way, you can see the new Yankee Stadium looming over the East River.
It’s interesting to think that the first time Ruth got to experience the euphoria of launching a ball over the wall as an MLB player was against the team that would give birth to his legendary status, in the stadium that established him as the greatest power hitter (at the time) in the history of the game.
Then, a little less than a month later, on June 2, 1915, the Great Bambino did it again. Stepping up to the plate in the Polo Grounds against the same Yankees pitcher, “Crab” Warhop, Babe Ruth launched another home run. His second-ever as a big leaguer.
He did it again on June 25, only this time in Fenway Park against the same opponent, the New York Yankees.
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That’s right, Babe Ruth’s first three career home runs came against his future team. When it was all said and done, the Sultan of Swat finished his MLB career with 714 homers (really it was 715) and is still thought to be (one of the) greatest player(s) to ever live.