Tris Speaker on Babe Ruth

“Ruth made a grave mistake when he gave up pitching. Working once a week he might have lasted a long time and become a great star.”

“I have been asked my opinion of great outfielders I have known. By outfielders I mean solely the ability to play the position, quite apart from batting or base running talent. I will say, without hesitation, that Babe Ruth is one of the half dozen greatest outfielders I ever saw. This is aside from his slugging ability, which is unrivaled, and his base running ability, which is much greater than is commonly supposed. Purely as an outfielder, Babe will rank among the game's greatest. He was not always so. When he first shifted from the pitching slab to the outfield, he did not seem to take his work seriously. His thoughts were mainly devoted to his batting. No doubt they still are. But for all that, Babe has become a great outfielder. He covers a lot of ground, primarily because he plays the batter correctly. He has a sure pair of hands, a wonderful throwing arm and he always knows exactly what to do with the ball when he gets it.”