Home run hit by Babe Ruth in the 1932 World Series that Ruth allegedly forecast
Ruth's pointing gesture before his home run became one of baseball's most debated and legendary moments, symbolizing the sport's golden age.
Key Facts
- Date
- October 1, 1932
- Venue
- Wrigley Field, Chicago
- Game
- Game 3, 1932 World Series
- Inning
- Fifth inning
- Hit destination
- Deep center field
- Teams
- New York Yankees vs. Chicago Cubs
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During a tense at-bat in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees faced the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Amid crowd jeering and dugout taunting from the Cubs, Ruth made a visible pointing gesture toward the field before the pitch was delivered.
Ruth swung at the next pitch and drove the ball to deep center field for a home run. One reporter described the gesture as Ruth having 'called his shot'—a term borrowed from billiards—implying he had predicted exactly where he would hit the ball. Film footage confirms the gesture but leaves his intent ambiguous.
The episode elevated Ruth's public legend and became one of the most discussed moments in baseball history. Whether the gesture was a genuine prediction, a taunt at the Cubs, or a response to fans remains unresolved, fueling debate that has persisted for decades and cementing the event as a defining story of baseball's golden age.