Babe Ruth Was About to Leave Baseball for Cricket- What Hanged His Mind?

There has not been a better player than Babe Ruth in the history of Major League Baseball. Considering his hitting capabilities, the opposition pitcher feared while pitching him on the field. Many even credit him for making baseball an entertaining game.

Ruth is arguably the greatest ever to play in Major League Baseball. But apart from baseball, Ruth was also interested in playing a very similar game of baseball; cricket. But due to some reason, the baseball great changed his mind to play cricket and continued his career in Major League baseball.

Well, switching their sporting career has been a trend in almost every sport. Sports stars like Russell Wilson, Bo Jackson, and Frank Thomas are a few to name who have played different sports in their career.

Babe Ruth was about to pursue his career in cricket, why did he not continue?

Well, baseball and cricket are pretty much similar. Both include smashing the ball and pitching/bowling in the game. Though there are differences in techniques, both the games, involve catching, fielding, batting, etc. And considering that, it will not be very hard for a baseball player to play cricket and vice versa.

For a player like Babe Ruth, had he played cricket, he would’ve dominated the game easily. And he did get an opportunity to play, but the Yankees star decided not to continue his career in cricket.

Ruth was a great friend of cricket legend, Sir Don Bradman. And Ruth had promised Bradman that he would one-day attempt cricket; the Yankees legend did not break his promise.

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During his last playing years, when Ruth’s game started to decline, he went on a world tour. And when in London, the Yankees legend kept his word to Bradman. In London, a former Australian cricketer, Alan Fairfax, tried to teach him a few cricketing techniques.

And while learning the stance and batting techniques, Ruth struggled. However, then he decided to hold the bat as he used to in baseball. He started smashing balls all over the park.

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But after learning that cricketers do not make that much money as in baseball, Ruth returned to the US. And he dropped his idea of playing cricket. But fans still believe, had he switched his sporting career to cricket, Ruth would have become one of the greatest cricketers.