The Day White's Catch Stole Ruth's Final Moment

On September 21, 1934, one of baseball's most iconic moments took place during a game between the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees at Navin Field in Detroit, Michigan. The game featured two of the sport's greatest legends, Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, in what would become known as the "Greatest Play in World Series History."

In the top of the ninth inning, with the Yankees trailing 4-3 and two outs, Gehrig stepped up to the plate. He hit a deep fly ball to center field that seemed destined to tie the game. However, Tigers center fielder Jo-Jo White made an incredible running catch, leaping at the last second to snag the ball before it could go over the fence for a home run.

The catch itself was remarkable, but what followed was even more extraordinary. White quickly threw the ball to second baseman Charlie Gehringer, who then fired it to first baseman Hank Greenberg. Greenberg, seeing that Ruth had strayed too far from first base, threw to shortstop Billy Rogell, who tagged out Ruth to end the game and give the Tigers a 4-3 victory.

The play was a testament to the Tigers' incredible defensive prowess and teamwork. It showcased the quick thinking and flawless execution needed to turn a potential game-tying home run into a game-ending double play. The moment has been immortalized in baseball lore, with photographs and descriptions of the play appearing in countless books, articles, and documentaries.

The 1934 World Series itself was a closely contested affair, with the Tigers ultimately triumphing over the Yankees in seven games. The series featured several other memorable moments, including Gehrig's record-setting seventeen total bases in Game 5 and Mickey Cochrane's walk-off single in Game 6.

However, it was the "Greatest Play in World Series History" that stood out as the defining moment of the series and one of the most remarkable defensive feats in baseball history. The play showcased the incredible skill, athleticism, and teamwork that define the sport at its best, and it remains a beloved and enduring part of baseball's rich history.

Eight decades later, the legacy of that incredible play lives on, reminding fans of the timeless magic and unforgettable moments that make baseball such a cherished part of American culture. It is a testament to the enduring power of sports to inspire, excite, and unite people across generations, and a reminder of the incredible feats of skill and determination that define the greatest athletes in history.

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to This Moment in Sports History podcast. On September
twenty first, nineteen thirty four, one of baseball's most iconic
moments took place during a game between the Detroit Tigers
and the New York Yankees at Navin Field in Detroit, Michigan.
The game feature two of the sport's greatest legends, lou
Gerig and Babe Ruth, in what would become known as

(00:22):
the draw greatest play in World Series history. In the
top of the ninth inning, with the Yankees trailing four
to three and two outs, Geig stepped up to the plate.
He hit a deep fly ball to center field that
seemed destined to tie the game. However, and Don also
would could it. The catch itself was remarkable, but what

(00:45):
followed was even more extraordinary. White quickly through the ball
to second baseman Charlie Geiringer, who then fired it to
first aaseman Hank Greenberg. Greenberg, seeing that Ruth had strayed
too far from first base, through to shortstop Billy Rojas,
who tagged out Ruth to end the game and give
the Tigers a four to three victory their one. The

(01:15):
moment has been immortalized in baseball lore, with photographs and
descriptions of the play appearing in countless books, articles, and documentaries.
The nineteen thirty four World Series itself was a closely
contested affair, with the Tigers ultimately triumphing over the Yankees
in seven games. They're on down, up, but you're got

(01:36):
to record since. However, it was the greatest play in
World Series history that stood out as the defining moment
of the series and one of the most remarkable defensive
feats in baseball history. The play showcased the incredible skill, athleticism,
and timwork that defined the sport at its best, and

(01:58):
it remains a beloved and endorse ing part of baseball's
rich history eight decades later. The legacy of that incredible
play lives on reminding fans of the timeless magic and
unforgetting moments that make baseball such a cherished part of
American culture. It is a testament to the enduring power
of sports to inspire, excite, and unite people across generations,

(02:18):
and a reminder of the incredible feats of skill and
determination that of finding the greatest athletes in history. And
that wraps it up. Join us tomorrow and be sure
to hit that subscribe button so you never miss a
daily slice of sports history. This has been a quiet
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thank you for listening.