Nearly 70 years ago, and a shade longer than a year before he passed, it was Babe Ruth Day in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati beat Cleveland 2-1 in the American Legion Junior All-Star baseball game on Monday, August 4, 1947, at Crosley Field and the Bambino was there to throw out the first pitch. And Jack L. Lester was the man to introduce Ruth to Cincinnati for the final time. 

Lester was a Ford Motor Co. district manager and who you see sitting next to Ruth in the photo above.

Legends is pleased to share photos, press clippings and a pair of Babe Ruth autographed baseballs kept safe by the Lester family, with all fans of our national pastime.

Do you think winning pitcher Dick Hagen remembered the victory more than meeting Ruth? 

What did the final batter, George Everden, feel of the day, playing in front of 6,000 spectators? 

Or Don Daly, the last Cincy pitcher of the day who fanned Everden, or losing pitcher Wally Rush?

Other than a nice set of luggage from a local orphanage, what do you think Ruth took from the experience?

He looks genial in the press clippings, despite wearing what appears to be wool amid a reported sweltering heat. Was he in good spirits? Did he finish the night with a porterhouse, stiff drinks, and good conversation?

What did Cincinnati Mayor Carl W. Rich remember about that day? Or former Ruth teammate Waite Hoyt?

Relegated to the back pages of the Cincinnati Enquirer on Tuesday, Aug. 5, the sportswriter wasn’t star struck and kept to the highlights. The play-by-play read more for fans of area baseball than of fans of baseball today.

A shame, really, as Ruth is one of our great links to history. 

The Red Sox. The Yankees. Murderer’s Row.

The chase by Maris, Aaron, and Bonds. The larger-than-life persona.

The Called Shot.

The Sandlot.

Ruth consistently ranks as the best baseball player of All-Time.

There may be some debate with Jordan, Gretzky, or Ali, but the company Ruth’s legacy will keep will never fall short of legendary.

The Lester family’s cherished items and a few items of our Ruth memorabilia are on display at Legends Sports & Games in Woodland Mall, Grand Rapids.