Quote:
Originally Posted by KurtBevacqua
I think we're talking about two different phenomenons here that may or may not be covered by the same rule. The retrosheet article seems to be talking about the "courtesy runner" as a guy who gives a mildly injured player a break for a single instance so that guy can get himself together and stay in the game.
I believe the Babe Ruth phenomenon is like The Professor says, where the opposing team agrees to allow a pinch runner designated for a particular player to help him get on base. And with a guy like Babe Ruth it would make sense for the opposing team to allow it because Babe was such a box office draw that both teams made money from having him in the game. So retrosheet may not be including those instances as it's either a different application of the rule, or an entirely different phenomenon in its own right.
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Actually, I think the Retrosheet collection covers most instances where "courtesy runners" were used, it certainly mentions most of the ones that I was aware of. I don't know about Ruth -- as I said, the Stratton example is the best example of a player having an "arrangement" of the courtesy runner that I know of. When I used the term ("arrangement") that is what I was thinking of, otherwise I am only familiar with the temporary injury/mishap usage (which was used in the Major Leagues)...very poor clarity on my part.
If the Babe had such an arrangement, it doesn't appear to have been documented in a Major League setting (or not one that Retrosheet has picked up on...) Is it possible that the folks are thinking of Sammy Byrd ("Babe Ruth's legs" -- as he was a regular pinch runner for the Babe in late innings) and confusing
that with the concept of the courtesy runner?