Toggle Menu

On Babe Ruth

A kid meets the Babe.

Victor Navasky

July 27, 2011

When I was a kid, growing up in the 1930s on West 74th Street between Broadway and West End, the highlight of my day was ten in the morning, when Babe Ruth would emerge from his daily shave at the barbershop in the Ansonia Hotel, on my corner. Every day, if I could be there, I would stand on the street, and when the Babe appeared, I’d wave and say, “Hi, Babe.” He’d wave back and say, “Hi, kid,” and then get into his car. One day I got up the courage to ask him for his autograph, and he signed my book, date and all.

Victor NavaskyVictor S. Navasky served as editor, publisher, and publisher emeritus of The Nation, and was the founder of its prestigious internship program, which is named in his honor.


Latest from the nation