This obscure Canadian stadium was built in 1910 and at the time was lauded for being one of the biggest minor league ballparks with a capacity of 17,000. But it also had the distinction of being notable for this little not well known fact – an American ballplayer out of Baltimore named George Herman Ruth hit his first professional home run there on September 5, 1914.
That’s right, Babe Ruth, arguably America’s greatest sports legend, hit his very first home run, a three-run blast, across the American border and at Hanlan’s Point Stadium in Canada. He archived this milestone while he was pitching for the Providence Grays in a International League game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not only did the 19-year-old Ruth put on a power display for Torontonians, but he was an ace on the mound as well pitching a one-hit 9-0 shutout win.
A month later Ruth would be called up to the Boston Red Sox to pitch in a couple meaningless October games, but more importantly it was the last time Ruth saw minor league ball, but as expected he left his mark in the lower leagues as he did everywhere else he ventured in life.
