Babe Ruth in Japan

> Babe Ruth made a barnstorming trip to Japan in 1934
> and the fans in Japan loved him. But in WWII
> Japanese soldiers yelled "Death to Babe" b/c they
> knew how important Babe was to American soldiers. Do
> you know anything about this or have an source I
> could find more information about it?

Um, what information are you looking for? It sounds like you just about have it. I can only suggest checking out Robert Whiting's "You Gotta Have Wa".

I also heard that. It probably happened but the story was probably blown-up by media later. Its like yelling These things happen all the time when there is a war. It happens all the time. I'm sure some Al-Qaida soldiers are saying things like death to Britney Spears or death to Michael Jordan. Things which represents American values. By the way, did you know about a week hitting catcher named Moe Berg who was actually spying on the Japanese during the tour? He was taking pictures of Tokyo from the rooftop of the St. Luke's Hospital in Tokyo. Berg is a very unusual ballplayer who graduated Princeton University and speaks 7 different languages. Also, story about Babe in Japan is quite well documented. I want to know more about Ty Cobb's visit to Japan about 20 years prior to Babe's visit. I wanted to know how an abrasive and racist character like Cobb behaved in Japan. Does any of you have any info?

By the way, did
> you know about a week hitting catcher named Moe Berg
> who was actually spying on the Japanese during the
> tour? He was taking pictures of Tokyo from the
> rooftop of the St. Luke's Hospital in Tokyo. Berg is
> a very unusual ballplayer who graduated Princeton
> University and speaks 7 different languages
One of my all-time favorite quotes from baseball concerns Berg. I unfortunately don't remember who said it but eventually it will be attributed to Yogi Berra. The quote" Moe Berg can speak seven languages but he can't hit in any of them."

While you were close, the actual quote was uttered by the great Casey Stangle. Stangle was manager during the 1920s and '30s and coached Moe Berg. He said, "Moe Berg can speak 15 different languages, but he can't hit in any of 'em." Thank you and goodnight.

The Babe tried to get to Japan a year earlier in 1933 - but while enroute and playing exhibition games in Hawaii the deal fell through most likely because while they were in Hawaii Japan followed Germanys lead and backed out of the League of Nations. Herb Hunter "Baseballs Goodwill Ambassador to the Orient 1920-34" had arranged the tour but ended up traveling to Japan solo on a "secret mission" known to himself alone. (see "The Babe Plants A Banyon Tree" by SABR member Prof Frank Ardolino.
Herb came back with a mission to encourage The Babe to try again in '34 - Babe made it- Herb Hunter didnt. Hunter had also invited Moe "Catcher Was A Spy" Berg to come along on the '34 trip at the last minute having first taken Moe on a coaching trip to Japan with Lefty O'Doul and Ted Lyons. read Moe Berg - Catcher Was A Spy" by Nick Dawidof full a full account and a little background on Herb Hunter. One thing that Dawidofs book doesnt mention is that Hunter didnt go with the team - an incredible story that i'll discuss in a later post if anyone is interested.
In regards to Ty Cobb in Japan Hunter took him there as well on a coaching mission in '28 with Bob Shawkey and Ernie Quigley - read Alexanders "Cobb". Ty was rough on the players he was coaching but respected the heart the Japanese played ball with. However his uniform was stolen from his hotel room while he was there and after the war Cobb used this as an example of the charater of the "Asiatic mind". Personally, I believe Hunter may have actually snagged the uniform, maybe with some help of the hotel Mgr - Matsumoto.
Nevertheless, Cobbs uniform (right down to his cleats) is floating around the Orient somewhere.

Tony Medina
Lansing, MI