Goodman: For the love of baseball, deliver Ohtani to Rickwood Field

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This is a column of perspective.

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Baseball is a humorous recreation.

It is romantic and eccentric all on the similar time, which is a tricky factor to tug off.

Usually, you’re both one or the opposite. Sometimes artwork or artists have the facility to be each on the similar time, although, and that’s baseball.

I’ve loved watching the MLB playoffs this previous month or so and it’s coming all the way down to the wire. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays are tied 2-2 within the best-of-7 World Series. Baseball was my past love, and I’ve formally rekindled the flame with this yr’s Fall Classic.

Toronto gained Game 4 6-2 on Tuesday night time after an all-time basic in Game 3. The Dodgers gained that one 6-5 in 18 innings.

My return to baseball this October is simple sufficient to elucidate. I can’t cease watching Dodgers celebrity Shohei Ohtani. There’s nothing like him. He hits prodigious residence runs. He steals bases. He throws 99 mph fastballs. He’s like a one-man staff.

Personally, I like watching the Dodgers. I do know the staff catches a variety of grief from followers, however I’m not going to be a hater. I’m simply going to benefit from the present, and Shohei, and be grateful I’m a sportswriter within the time of baseball’s modern-day Babe Ruth.

While researching for this column, I discovered the proper quote about Babe Ruth by legendary sportswriter Tommy Holmes. Holmes coated the Brooklyn Dodgers throughout Ruth’s time with the Yankees.

“Some 20 years ago,” Holmes as soon as mentioned, “I stopped talking about the Babe for the simple reason that I realized that those who had never seen him didn’t believe me.”

I get it, Tommy. After watching Ohtani, I completely perceive what you imply.

If I informed somebody 50 years from now what Ohtani did in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series, they in all probability wouldn’t imagine me. He had two doubles and two dingers and after that the Blue Jays walked him 5 consecutive occasions.

In an 18-inning recreation, Ohtani reached base 9 occasions. It had by no means been achieved earlier than, and it’ll in all probability by no means be achieved once more. It’s one in all one. Singular greatness.

But right here’s the factor.

Ohtani then rotated and pitched the following day. Unbelievable, however 100% true.

For most of my life, I at all times questioned what it was like watching Babe Ruth and Josh Gibson swing the bat. Was Ruth actually that good? Was Gibson even higher? I used to be skeptical. To me, the tales about them had been only a product of baseball’s romantic nature.

Not anymore.

Watching Ohtani this October makes me imagine all these tales about Ruth and Gibson weren’t simply tall tales. If Ohtani can hit three towering residence runs in Game 4 of the NLCS that each one go over 400 toes, then Gibson in all probability did hit a house run 600 toes that point in New Jersey.

And who am I to doubt that Babe Ruth hit a house run to this point out of Birmingham’s Rickwood Field that it landed in a prepare automotive on its option to Georgia.

Ruth hit 54 residence runs in his seventh season within the Majors. Ohtani hit 54 homers in his seventh season.

Ruth had 59 residence runs in his eighth season. Going into Game 4 of the World Series, Ohtani has 55.

Is Ohtani the best participant within the historical past of baseball? That story is but to be written, however he’s received an opportunity.

I do know this, although. We’ve by no means seen one other baseball participant like Ohtani. We can all say that with authority as a result of nobody alive as we speak can keep in mind watching Ruth. Gibson’s time in baseball is much more of a legend. I want I knew extra about his profession.

But watching Ohtani, in some legendary method that solely baseball can permit, makes me really feel like I’m watching Gibson, too.

The New York sportswriters of his day tried evaluating Reggie Jackson to Babe Ruth. Reggie shortly deflected the reward, saying there would by no means be one other Babe Ruth. Reggie Jackson had ranges of swagger and confidence like the sport has by no means seen. For him to say that about Ruth, nicely, that just about says all of it.

Barry Bonds was an all-timer, however he’s no Ohtani. I can solely evaluate watching Ohtani’s singular greatness to basketball gamers Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

Who was higher, Jordan or LeBron?

In baseball, we now have the equal of that everlasting debate. Is it Ruth, Gibson or Ohtani?

Ruth and Gibson are thought-about the 2 best hitters within the historical past of the sport. Ruth hit 714 residence runs. Gibson, who performed within the Negro Leagues, is credited with hitting over 800 homers for his profession. Ohtani, at present at 280, has an extended option to go.

I’ve to marvel what Reggie Jackson thinks watching Ohtani play baseball. Is Ohtani the brand new Ruth?

If football-great Cam Newton performed defensive finish and quarterback for Auburn, I suppose that might be near the school soccer equal of what Ohtani does on the baseball subject. Or perhaps if Bo Jackson performed working again and linebacker for the Raiders.

Cam and Bo have very baseball-like personalities, and I imply that as the best type of a praise.

Anyway, I digress.

Baseball connects us to the previous like no different American custom. That’s the magic of this recreation, and that’s the facility of Ohtani.

In Birmingham, town is fortunate sufficient to have the sport of baseball’s dwelling time capsule, Rickwood Field.

Bo performed at Rickwood. Gibson performed at Rickwood. Babe Ruth performed at Rickwood. Willie Mays and Satchel Paige began their careers at Rickwood enjoying for the Birmingham Black Barons.

We gotta get Ohtani to America’s oldest ballpark. Why? Because historical past calls for it. Baseball’s quirky romance with the American spirit is a treasure to be without end unlocked, and Rickwood has a key.

Can Ohtani hit a house run at Rickwood Field farther than Ruth (Birmingham to Georgia) and Stan Musial (over the right-field roof)?

For the love of baseball, the sport wants Ohtani at Rickwood and, let’s be trustworthy, Ohtani wants at the least one journey in his life to baseball paradise.

I’ll have my tape measure prepared.

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