George Selkirk
| Birthdate | 1/4/1908 |
| Death Date | 1/19/1987 |
| Debut Year | 1934 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Yankees |
| Positions | Left Field, Right Field |
The man who took over in right field after Babe Ruth left the Yankees, George Selkirk was a 5-time World Series champ and two-time All Star.
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Selkirk is best remembered for taking over right field for the Yankees after Ruth's release
Selkirk is best remembered for taking over right field for the Yankees after Ruth's release
On August 12, 1934, George Selkirk joined an exclusive club when he became the 7,756th man to play Major League Baseball. Playing at Boston’s historic Fenway Park, Selkirk donned his uniform and played right field for the New York Yankees. The previous 15 seasons that position was held by one George Herman “Babe” Ruth. Not only was the 26-year old rookie Selkirk playing in his first big league contest, he was taking over for the game’s most popular player.
The trip to Boston for the Sunday doubleheader was the Yankees’ last visit of the season to Beantown. The game was billed as Ruth’s final appearance at Fenway. A Red Sox player from 1914-1919, Ruth could still draw a crowd, especially in Boston. An overflow crowd of 46,766 jammed into stadium to see the Sultan of Swat one last time. More than 20,000 additional fans were turned away.
Ruth started the first game in left field and banged two hits off of Boston hurler Wes Ferrell. In game two, the Bambino went 0-for-1 with a couple of walks in his first three plate appearance. In the bottom of the 6th inning after Ruth took his position in left, Yankee skipper Joe McCarthy summoned him back to the dugout and replaced him with Sam Byrd. The Boston faithful saluted Ruth with a standing ovation.
Like everyone else in attendance, rookie Selkirk was caught up in the moment.
Leo Trachtenberg’s 1983 story about the event in Yankees Magazine included Selkirk’s recollections.
“There I was playing as a Yankee and that was thrill enough,” recalled Selkirk. “As I was going out to my position in the late part of the second game, Ruth left the game. The crowd was clapping and cheering for the Babe. I just stood there and then I realized that I had taken off my cap and I was clapping my hands, just like those people in the stands. It was something that came from the heart. I felt a little ashamed of myself, thinking that I was just a busher, and then I looked around and there were the rest of the Yankee players and they were doing the same thing.”
The following year the Yankees released Ruth who signed with the Braves the next day. Selkirk took over full time in the outfield and replaced the game’s greatest player. He also took Babe’s jersey number 3.
In the December 13th issue of the Brooklyn Eagle, Selkirk explained his decision. “If I am going to take his place I’ll take his number, too. Was that a tough assignment? Instead of being just another outfielder, one who was no Tris Speaker or Earle Combs in the outfield, I was expected to make the fans forget all about one of the greatest players in the history of the game, Babe Ruth. Did I worry? Well, I tried not to. Ruth, you know, always had been my baseball hero, but never had I thought I would be taking his place.”
Selkirk had a fine playing career, playing on six American League pennant winners and earning 5 World Series rings.
Shown here is a photo signed by the man Selkirk replaced in right field for the Yankees.
The only manager Selkirk played for praised his handling of replacing Ruth
The only manager Selkirk played for praised his handling of replacing Ruth
Taking over for baseball’s most beloved player was no easy task for George Selkrik. Despite the pressure, he handled it with class. Though he was no Babe Ruth, Selkirk more than held his own.
His poise and hard-nosed play drew rave reviews from Yankee manager Joe McCarthy – the only man Selkirk played for in the bigs.
According to the biography of Lefty Gomez written by his wife, McCarthy said, “Selkirk was one of my favorite players, taking over Ruth’s spot at bat and in right field. George was under heavy pressure that first year but he came through brilliantly. No player ever had a tougher assignment.”
Selkirk endeared himself to his manager, teammates and fans. He hit at least .300 in five of his nine seasons with the Yankees, highlighted by his .328 campaign in 1937. Twice an All Star, Selkirk averaged 110 runs batted in per 162 games played. A tough out, he finished his career with a cool .400 on-base percentage. The five-time World Series champion remains an important figure in Yankee lore.
Shown here is Joe McCarthy’s lifetime pass to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Carl Hubbell surrendered a homer to Selkirk in the slugger's first World Series at bat
Carl Hubbell surrendered a homer to Selkirk in the slugger's first World Series at bat
George Selkirk played in six World Series during his nine-year big league career. His first trip to baseball’s biggest stage came in 1936.
Facing the National League champion New York Giants, Selkirk had the unenviable tasks of squaring off against NL MVP Carl Hubbell in Game 1.
Hubbell was simply dominant in the regular season posting a career-high and league-best 26 wins against just 6 losses. His 2.31 ERA likewise topped the National League. In more advanced measurements, Hubbell led the entire NL – all pitchers and hitters – with a 9.7 WAR. He also had the lowest WHIP (1.059) among all big league pitchers.
In that fateful Game 1 on September 30th, Selkirk stepped in against the screwball-throwing Hubbell. On an 0-1 pitch, Selkirk connected and drove the ball over the right field fence at New York’s Polo Grounds. In doing so he became the fifth player in major league history to slug a homer in his first Fall Classic at bat. Selkirk is also the first foreign-born performer to leave the yard in World Series play.
In the six-game tilt, Selkirk went 8-for-24 with four walks.
Shown here is a 1933 Goudey baseball card autographed by Carl Hubbell. That year the Meal Ticket led the league in wins (23), ERA (1.66), and shutouts (10) to earn his first MVP award.
No foreign-born player has more World Series rings than Canadian George Selkirk
No foreign-born player has more World Series rings than Canadian George Selkirk
Dubbed “Twinkletoes” for his distinct running style, George Selkirk was arguably the greatest Canadian baseball player of the first half of the 20th century. Suiting up alongside baseball immortals Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Bill Dickey, the Huntsville, Ontario native is best known as the man who replaced Babe Ruth in right field for the Bronx Bombers.
Wearing the Bambino’s iconic number 3, Selkirk excelled during his nine-year big league career with the Yankees. His major league resume boasts two all-star selections, five campaigns with a .300+ batting average and two 100-RBI campaigns.
Selkirk was equally impressive in the postseason, belting a home run in his first World Series at bat in 1936. In all, the talented outfielder was part of five World Series-winning teams, the most of any Canadian. Among foreign-born players, only Panama’s Mariano Rivera earned as many as Selkirk’s five rings.
In addition to his teams’ five championships, Selkirk holds many Fall Classic distinctions. Among Canadian-born players, he’s played in the most World Series games, has the most hits, and walks. Selkirk was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.
Though the brevity of his 9-year big league career makes him ineligible for Cooperstown consideration, he was a fine player. His 162-game averages include 25 homers, 21 doubles, and 110 RBI. A lifetime .290 hitter, Selkirk’s career on-base percentage stands at an even .400 while his slugging mark comes in at .483.
For those who prefer advanced metrics, Selkirk’s 127 OPS+ is higher than Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Charlie Gehringer, Ron Santo and many other Cooperstown men. His 4.5 WAR per 162 games played puts him a tick below the 5.1 of the average Cooperstown right fielder.
The image above shows a government postcard signed by Selkirk in 1951.
After his playing days, Selkirk remained active with the Yankees as a minor league skipper
After his playing days, Selkirk remained active with the Yankees as a minor league skipper
After his 9th big league season in 1942, George Selkirk joined the war effort. Despite his Canadian citizenship, he joined the US Navy. When he returned to the States in 1945, he became a player/manager of the Yankees Triple-A Newark Bears. He remained at the helm of the club through the end of the ’47 season before taking the manager’s job with the Eastern League’s Binghamton team for three years.
In 1951 he took control of the Double-A Kansas City Blues. Notice the postmark shown on the image above. It’s dated August 29, 1951 with a Kansas City postmark. Signatures on postmarked cards give great context to the autograph and help ensure its authenticity. A quick check of the Blues’ schedule shows they were at home on August 29th when Selkirk dropped off this card at the local post office.
During his time in the Yankee farm system he managed many of the players who made up the next Bronx dynasty including Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Whitey Ford.
After a falling out with Yankee brass over player promotions, Selkirk wound up his time in uniform managing two Triple-A teams in the Milwaukee Braves’ organization.
Though he left the field for good, Selkirk remained in the game. He served as supervisor of player personnel for the Kansas City Athletics in 1957. Selkirk’s time in baseball ended after six-year run as the GM of the Washington Senators from 1964-1969.
