Mark Dunphy, Boston Globe
When pitchers and catchers reported for Red Sox spring training last week, it was an early sign of warmer things to come for fans back in Boston. A century ago, Babe Ruth offered the same sunny promise as he waited for his ride south, saying, "I'll see you kids at Fenway Park this summer." ...
Ruth had always been a pitcher for the Red Sox, but when numbers were short he was sent out to cover first base in one of the spring training games. The switch worked, to say the least. Ruth hit two home runs in the game, one of them traveling 573 feet before landing in an adjacent alligator farm. The Sox liked what they saw in that game and decided to give Ruth time in left-field during the regular season. According to Allan Wood's Babe Ruth and the 1918 Red Sox, Sox manager Barrow had been loath to do so before, despite Ruth desperately wanting to play and hit everyday. ... Ruth led the American League with 11 home runs in 1918 ...
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