The Other Babe

Babe Herman of the Reds hit the first ever "night game" home run on July 10, 1935 at Crosley Field. Babe played in the major leagues from 1926 through 1937 and 1945. He played for Cincinnati in 1932 and 1935-1936. He finished his career with Detroit in 1937, but came back in 1945 for one season (37 games) with Brooklyn. Babe hit nine regular home runs for the Reds in 1935 and one historic home run... the first home run ever, "under the lights".

Babe Herman
(Floyd Caves Herman)
Born:   Jun 26, 1903
 Died:   Nov 27, 1987

The "Headless Horseman of Ebbets Field"


Herman, once "tripled" into a double play (Herman got a double on the play), as three Dodgers wound up on third base. You see, Herman, having doubled with the bases loaded looked and noticed a runner trapped in a run-down between home and third. He decided to go to third figuring the trapped runner would be out. The problem was that there was already a runner at third. Then the trapped runner made it back to third and there were three players on third! Two of the runners were called out and from that incident we get:   "The Dodgers have three men on base." "Oh yeah, which base?"

Although Babe played both outfield and first base throughout his career, his primary position with the 1935 Reds was as first-baseman. 
 Year Ag Tm  Lg  G   AB    R    H   2B 3B  HR  RBI  SB CS  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   TB   SH   
 1926 23 BRO NL 137  496   64  158  35 11  11   81   8     44  53  .319  .375  .500  248  13
 1927 24 BRO NL 130  412   65  112  26  9  14   73   4     39  41  .272  .336  .481  198  14
 1928 25 BRO NL 134  486   64  165  37  6  12   91   1     38  36  .340  .390  .514  250  16
 1929 26 BRO NL 146  569  105  217  42 13  21  113  21     55  45  .381  .436  .612  348  13
 1930 27 BRO NL 153  614  143  241  48 11  35  130  18     66  56  .393  .455  .678  416  15
 1931 28 BRO NL 151  610   93  191  43 16  18   97  17     50  65  .313  .365  .525  320   1
 1932 29 CIN NL 148  577   87  188  38 19  16   87   7     60  45  .326  .389  .541  312   5
 1933 30 CHC NL 137  508   77  147  36 12  16   93   6     50  57  .289  .353  .502  255   7
 1934 31 CHC NL 125  467   65  142  34  5  14   84   1     35  71  .304  .353  .488  228   5
 1935 32 CIN NL  92  349   44  117  23  5  10   58   5     35  25  .335  .396  .516  180   2
         PIT NL  26   81    8   19   8  1   0    7   0      3  10  .235  .271  .358   29   0
         TOT NL 118  430   52  136  31  6  10   65   5  0  38  35  .316  .373  .486  209   2
 1936 33 CIN NL 119  380   59  106  25  2  13   71   4     39  36  .279  .348  .458  174   1
 1937 34 DET AL  17   20    2    6   3  0   0    3   2  0   1   6  .300  .364  .450    9   0
 1945 42 BRO NL  37   34    6    9   1  0   1    9   0      5   7  .265  .359  .382   13   0

Thanks to Robert Emmes for putting me on the search for this information!


Babe and his Kids

Babe and his sons


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