We’ve all heard the same story from various industry leaders. Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs, but he was also the player who had the most strikeouts in Baseball History.
Sorry to burst that particular bubble, but it’s not true. It’s not even close to being true. The story is a good example of how even the best among us have more failures than successes, but it’s always stuck in my craw to hear this big untruth.
I know that there are some leaders out there who will go berserk when I shatter this particular myth, but I feel compelled to get the truth out. This particular story has become a part of the foundation for teaching Success, and it just sits there laughing at all of the other aspects of this foundation that are true.
“I’m just as important a part of Success Building, and I’m not even True,” says this story. It sits there and mocks the other, really important facets of building a Positive Attitude, Never Giving Up and the value of picking oneself up after falling down.
This myth is very important to some of you Leaders out there. While the story is a great one, I cannot sit there and let it perpetuate as truth. I once had a supervisor who loved to tell that story to new team mates. I went home and took out my current copy of the Baseball Almanac. The list was there, and it shocked me.
When I brought the book in to show my supervisor, he refused to look at it. “The company president says it happened, and I’ll believe him.” I told him that he as an idiot to his face and walked out of his office.
I’m sorry to have to do this, but I’m gong to show you a list of the All Time Career Strikeout Leaders in Major League Baseball. Former Yankee Reggie Jackson has the dubious distinction of being the All Time Leader in strike outs for a batter. The list is current as of September, 2015.
There’s still an outside chance that Alex Rodriguez will claw his way into the #4 spot on the list. Yes, Yankee fans, your dear Alex Rodriguez has the 5th highest strikeout total in baseball history.
So here is the list, with any of the frills that are often in lists such as these. Just pure statistical data. Read it and weep.
Rank Player (years played) Strikeouts
1. Reggie Jackson (21) 2597
2. Jim Thome (22) 2548
3. Adam Dunn (14) 2379
4. Sammy Sosa (18) 2306
5. Alex Rodriguez (21) 2206
6. Andres Galarraga (19) 2003
7. Jose Canseco (17) 1942
8. Willie Stargell (21) 1936
9. Mike Cameron (17) 1901
10. Mike Schmidt+ (18) 1883
Do you see babe Ruth anywhere on that list? No, you don’t. As a matter of fact, Ruth doesn’t hit the list for quite a while. Here is where the Babe stacks up.
115. Babe Ruth (22 years) 1330 Strike Outs
Number 115. Yes, Babe Ruth is the 115th worst player when it comes to striking out. Don’t believe me? Well, here a link with the same information you’ve just looked at. http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SO_career.shtml
I love the game of baseball. It’s the only sport I’ve ever given any time to. I look upon the others as just something for fans to occupy their time with while waiting for Baseball to start again.
So, for all of you business leaders who still want to make a great point about Babe Ruth and strikeouts, use the one that I use. Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs, and struck out nearly twice as many times. Did Ruth give up? No, because he knew that if he got up enough times, he would still be successful.
That’s the story you should be telling your people. Why? It’s The Truth, and the truth does not have to be explained.
If this was helpful to you, please leave me your thoughts, comments and questions below. I’ll be sure to respond to them.
To Your Future,
Tom, the High Traffic Wizard
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