Babe Ruth’s July 1924 game on Cooper Street

How the game came together

On June 20 the Beverly Banner printed the plan for an evening exhibition and a letter attributed to Yankees manager Miller Huggins permitting Ruth to play, provided a Philadelphia doubleheader did not intervene. The paper named Delanco Athletic Association president Theodore Hayward as promoter and said Ruth would join the Delanco side against a Burlington County League selection. The letter is printed in the newspaper; its original signed sheet has not been inspected. Read the advance report.

The game in the paper

The July 4 Banner reports that Ruth singled in a run, stole third, scored, and later drove a ball over the right-field fence with a runner on second. Its box score puts him at first base, credits him with two hits and two runs, and records a 4–2 Delanco win. It estimates the crowd at roughly 3,000. Read the game report and box score.

Delanco Township’s history board locates the game at the Cooper Street field and gives attendance as about 5,000. The newspaper’s lower estimate is closer to the event; neither is a turnstile count. The game and score are much better established than an exact crowd size.

Visit the field

The map marks the Cooper Street ballfield commemorated by Delanco, rather than a reconstructed 1924 home plate or Ruth’s home-run trajectory. It is a useful public-history stop for a Burlington County drive; current field rules and events govern access. Look at the field and its marker, then use the two newspaper accounts to imagine the July evening without assigning a precise landing spot to the ball.