Manager Joe Ruth chats with the Lunenburg Phillies during a May 25, 2016, practice. (Sentinel & Enterprise File Photo)
The outpouring of sadness that has sprung up following the passing of Lunenburg Phillies founder and longtime player and coach Joe Ruth on Sunday should come as no surprise.
His relatives and friends have expressed their grief on social media, while his other family — that grown from the sport of baseball — has championed Ruth as a great ambassador of the game and a fantastic human being in general.
And we’re not talking about just a handful of players that have crossed paths with the West Townsend resident. There are 30 Phillies on the active roster and somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 former and inactive players listed on the team’s web site.
That’s not counting all the players and coaches Ruth had competed against in his 40-plus years in the game, most of which came in Lunenburg and a good chunk of which came as head of the Central New England Baseball Association.
I should have seen the responses coming in advance. When former colleague Chad Garner — himself once a Lunenburg Phillie — texted me Monday morning with the news, my heart sank.
“A great man who embodied the game of baseball in Central Mass.,” Garner said in his texts. “A true gentleman of the game. He will be missed dearly.”
Joe Ruth’s love for baseball, and sports in general, was undeniable. His passion for sport was summed up nicely by his sister, Kathy Ruth Jackson, in a humorous nugget with me on Facebook.
“He was definitely one of a kind, and in the extended Ruth family, we always joked that the boys were all part Labrador Retriever. They just had to ‘get that ball,’” she wrote.
Since writing of Ruth’s passing on Monday, I’ve received plenty of emails and messages on social media channels. Some were a simple thank you, a tip of the cap for honoring a man who impacted the lives of countless ballplayers and friends.
Others delved deeper into their relationships with Ruth. They pointed out just what type of man he was on the diamond: a fiery competitor, a teacher, an athlete and the prototypical teammate, the kind of guy who leaves it all on the field for his team.
“I’ve known, played with and coached with a lot of people with a deep passion and love for baseball, but none of us can hold Joe Ruth’s water,” former Phillie and current Oakmont Regional assistant coach Justin Nussey wrote in an email. “He is the definition of a baseball guy. Someone who simply loved being around and talking about the game any chance he could get.
“What’s most special about Joe Ruth is that his impact on baseball in Central Mass. is almost unquantifiable. He’s influenced most, if not every amazing and talented player that has come out of this area in the past 50 years. He’s improved and lengthened careers and increased passion for the game for an infinite number of players both young and old.”
Ruth’s impact in the game extends beyond competitors on the diamond. Jeff Kleiner, the New Hampshire Baseball Umpires Association’s Supervisor of Umpires and a current Division 1 umpire, reached out to share a story about a run in he had with Ruth during his formative years in officiating.
“It was 1984 when my dad (also an umpire) was the assignor for the old Eastern Mass. League. I was 13 and just started umpiring Little League,” Kleiner wrote. “One Saturday, my Dad came to my game and said he needed me to go with him to Lunenburg because another umpire backed out last minute. He told me there was no guarantee I could work, but he would discuss it with Joe when we arrived. Joe was gracious and allowed it and that was my first ‘big boy’ game that helped me in my long career that has taken me to some pretty big venues.
“The coolest thing about that game was sure as you know what, it was the second inning when I had what we call a ‘whacker’ at second base. … Could have gone either way and went against Joe. He came out and said ‘You sure you got that right?’ I said ‘Yup’ and he replied ‘Yeah, you did. Just wanted to check’ and walked back to the dugout (of course with that little swagger walk he had).”
It’s indicative of the type of coach Ruth was as far back as this writer knew him, which goes back the better part of 15 years. He’d put on a show and question calls when he needed to, but it was rare for him to show up an official. Even if a call was wrong, he’d send his message and be on his way.
He knew mistakes were part of the game. Even the best Major League hitters don’t reach base 65% of the time. The best pitchers get lit up from time to time. He wasn’t one to try to drag anyone down on the diamond.
Kleiner went on to say he saw Ruth a couple years back after picking up a game in Lunenburg and now is grateful for the chance to catch up with the Central Mass. baseball legend.
“We chatted and caught up and now I am so thankful that I took that game as favor to help out,” he wrote.
That is something that has become a sounding point for players and friends alike: remembering the last time they saw or chatted with Ruth. For some, it may have been the Phillies’ semifinal loss to Ronnies of Worcester on Aug. 3. It could have been a text message received.
Regardless of that interaction, it’s one most won’t soon forget.
“Selfishly speaking, I’m proud to say that one of the last games Joe got to see in person — and the last time I got to see and talk to my old coach and friend — was Oakmont winning its first ever state title,” Nussey wrote. “Joe influenced the whole coaching staff at some point during their careers. To quote MoneyBall, ‘How can you not be romantic about baseball?’”
