D.C. native Weintraub is the author of the just-released book “The House That Ruth Built,” which chronicles the New York Yankees and Babe Ruth in their breakout 1923 season. Why is the original Yankee Stadium called “The House That Ruth Built”?
The Yankees were kicked out of the Polo Grounds by their landlords, the New York Giants, because Babe Ruth was so popular the Yanks were drawing more fans. That forced the Yanks to build Yankee Stadium.
So much has been written about Ruth; how did you come up with the idea for this book?
I noticed that the Yankees and Giants had played in three straight World Series [1921-23] and that the Giants had whipped the Yanks and humiliated Ruth, especially in 1922. Ruth was treated like the A-Rod of the Prohibition Era: hammered by the press for his choke job. The Babe rededicated himself to the game, swore off alcohol, trained hard and had a magnificent season in 1923 in the brand-new Yankee Stadium, capped off by his getting revenge in the Series on the Giants — which was the first-ever Yankees title.
What was the most interesting fact you learned while you were writing this book?
Probably that the building of Yankee Stadium was delayed for a year by the famous gangster Arnold Rothstein [who “fixed” the 1919 World Series]. Rothstein was tight with John McGraw and the Giants, as well as with Tammany Hall, and he managed to tie up the project in bureaucratic knots, forcing the Yankees to crawl back to McGraw and ask if they could play one more year at the Polo Grounds. Sure, McGraw said — by the way, the rent has gone up 15 grand a month.
What would Babe Ruth have to say about the wave of steroid use by today’s baseball stars?
He would probably be the first one to shoot HGH in his behind, and not think twice about it.
– Susan Ferrechio
