New York, Apr. 9 (By A. P.)— Babe Ruth was resting comfortably in St. Vincent’s hospital tonight, suffering from influenza, acute indigestion and minor injuries suffered when he fainted and fell to the washroom floor of his private car, as the train was entering Pennsylvania Station shortly after 1 o’clock this afternoon.
Early reports from attending physicians said that Ruth had a slight concussion of the brain and a possible fracture of the skull, but these were later denied at the hospital by Dr. Edward King, the New York American League doctor, who gave the home run slugger a thorough examination upon his arrival.
“Ruth is resting as comfortably as can be expected and is in no danger,” said Dr. King immediately after the examination.
“He has a fever and a temperature of 101 but there is no concussion of the brain or evidence of a fracture of the skull.”
The accident, which rendered Ruth unconscious for nearly two hours, happened as he was washing up preparatory to leaving the train. In company with Paul Kritschell, the New York league scout, and a party of newspaper men Ruth was returning from Asheville, N. C., where on Tuesday he had suffered a slight attack of acute indigestion with a touch of influenza.
Just as the train was entering the Pennsylvania tube Ruth entered the washroom. He asked Kritchell to get him a comb and prepared to wash his hands and face. While Kritchell was gone Ruth fainted and fell to the floor, striking his head against the washbasin, rendering him unconscious. He was picked up by Kritchell and newspapermen aboard the train and carried to his compartment.
Ruth’s illness, coupled with the unverified report of his death which gained widespread publicity before it was officially denied, shrouded New York fandom in gloom and the Pennsylvania station was crowded when the train arrived.
Ruth’s collapse was the culmination of a hectic morning for the fans. The report of his death, circulated late last night, had not been entirely cleared up until nearly noon. Newspapers were swamped with inquiries. Kritchell, who had been sent with Ruth by Manager Miller Huggins, said that the Babe stood the trip well and aside from a slight stomach disorder the trip north was uneventful.
Dr. K. M. Murphy, the Pennsylvania Station physician, summoned by Stationmaster Eagen, boarded the car immediately upon its arrival here. Only a handful of station attaches and newspapermen were admitted to the platform and only Mrs. Ruth and a friend and Eddie Holly, a Yankee scout, Edward G. Barrow, business manager of the Yankees, and Charles McManus, secretary to Mr. Burrow, were admitted to the car.
Dr. King, who had been Ruth’s personal physician for a number of years, arrived soon after and went into consultation with Dr. Murphy. Dr. King went to the station in the St. Vincent’s hospital ambulance with a staff of hospital attaches. Shortly after Ruth’s arrival, another train rolled in on the opposite track bearing members of the Boston Braves en route to Boston from St. Petersburg. Fla., where they have been training.
The members of the Boston team, informed of the report that Ruth had died on his way to New York, had not learned that it was untrue. Seeing the crowd, the Boston players crowded out of their car, but were assured the Babe was alive.
Ruth was placed on a hospital stretcher, still unconscious from his fall and lifted out the window of his car to a stretcher-bearer and transported to the ground floor in a freight elevator, thus avoiding the crowds. The St. Vincent hospital ambulance, waiting at the baggage entrance of the station, was disabled in attempting to back into position and an emergency call was sent to the New York General hospital for another ambulance.
Daily Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME, April 10, 1925