Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
In baseball, a “called shot” usually means Babe Ruth’s alleged gesture before his home run in Game Three of the 1932 World Series: the story says he pointed toward center field, then hit the ball there. The home run is established; whether Ruth clearly pointed to its destination in advance remains disputed. The phrase also has different meanings in cue sports and tabletop combat games.
Did Babe Ruth really call his shot?
Ruth hit a home run against the Chicago Cubs in Game Three of the 1932 World Series. The familiar version adds that he pointed toward the center-field stands before the pitch, apparently predicting where he would hit the ball. Those are two separate claims: the home run happened, but the advance-pointing story is not settled.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
SABR’s biography of Ruth notes that only one game-day account mentioned him “calling his shot.” Later recollections and interpretations add to the story, but the contemporary record does not uniformly establish that Ruth made the famous gesture. It is reasonable to describe the called shot as a celebrated, contested account—not a proven prediction.
What was Babe Ruth’s called shot?
The phrase refers to the alleged moment before Ruth’s home run when he pointed toward the center-field stands. In the legend, the gesture named the ball’s destination; the hit that followed made the story memorable. Accounts differ over what happened and what Ruth intended, so the precise gesture and its meaning cannot be stated as fact.
#1 Best Overall
- Author: Holub, Joan.Who HQ.
- Publisher: Penguin Workshop
- Pages: 112
- Publication Date: 2012-01-05
- Edition: Illustrated
Was Germany Schaefer’s an earlier called shot?
A similar, earlier anecdote concerns Detroit Tigers player Germany Schaefer. SABR recounts a June 24, 1906 game in which Schaefer reportedly predicted a hit aloud while coaching. An eyewitness attested to the episode, though the account may be apocryphal. Unlike Ruth’s story, Schaefer’s was a reported verbal prediction, not a pointing gesture.
| Account | What was allegedly called | Evidence and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Babe Ruth, 1932 World Series | A gesture toward the center-field stands before his home run | SABR’s biography notes only one game-day story mentioned the call; later accounts and interpretations remain contested. |
| Germany Schaefer, 1906 Tigers game | A verbal prediction while coaching | SABR recounts an eyewitness attestation but says the anecdote may be apocryphal. |
What else can “called shot” mean?
Outside baseball history, “called shot” can refer to other rules or game mechanics. In cue sports, call-shot or call-pocket rules require a player to identify the intended shot or pocket, depending on the rules in use. In tabletop combat games, the term can describe aiming an attack at a particular body part or location. These uses are unrelated to the historical claim about Ruth.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you read more about Ruth’s called shot?
Thomas Wolf’s The Called Shot: Babe Ruth, the Chicago Cubs, & the Unforgettable Major League Baseball Season of 1932 focuses on the dispute and the season around it. A 2020 NY Sports Day review describes the University of Nebraska Press hardcover as 374 pages and says Wolf presents both sides while leaning toward the affirmative case. Current retail availability is not established here.
For a broader collection of baseball history, Joe Posnanski’s Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments includes Ruth’s called shot among its subjects. Google Books lists the book in 2023 at 400 pages.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
