Retire "The Babe" At Fenway

Lord knows, the NOG (New Ownership Group) has never been bereft of new and innovate ideas to promote their $700 million investment. But, since the departure of Dr. Charles for the Left Coast, they seem to be dragging a little bit on the creativity end. So, FenwayNation is coming to the rescue. Why don't we acknowledge perhaps the greatest all-around player to ever don a Red Sox uniform—one George Herman Ruth—by retiring his name (he never wore a number with us) on the right-field Wall Of Honor? OK, OK before you berate me for suggesting that we pay homage to a guy who is best remembered as a Yankee legend and the creator of a mythic curse, hear me out.

First of all, the curse was sheer nonsense—conjured up in the fertile mind of the CHB. And besides, it's broken already! Second, Babe Ruth was a major contributor to two of the three Red Sox World Championship teams he played on (1916 and 1918). In those two World Series, he pitched a total of 31 innings—notching a 0.87 ERA and 3 wins. And the one hit he got in the 1918 tilt was a triple knocking in 2 runs. In the regular 1918 season, in addition to winning 13 games as a pitcher (including 18 complete games), he batted .300 and clouted 11 home runs. But he won so many rings with the Empire, you say. Oh really? Actually he won exactly one more ring with the Yankees than the Red Sox (4 versus 3).

So, after we place #14 on the board next year some time, I say we add "The Babe" in 2012—the 100th Anniversary of the Fenway Park in which Ruth enjoyed his first taste of glory.