Babe Ruth 49-11-13 (07) There Are No Bad Kids

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Babe Ruth 49-11-13 (07) There Are No Bad Kids

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harolds Old Time Radio
Airdate: November 14, 2025
Guest: Gardner Malloy (National tennis champion, Navy veteran)

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Episode Overview

In this episode of The Adventures of Babe Ruth, titled "There Are No Bad Kids," listeners are taken back to the golden age of radio with a dramatic story featuring the legendary Babe Ruth. The tale, narrated through the eyes of Eddie, the Yankees bat boy, revolves around the theme of redemption, mentorship, and the belief that there are no truly "bad kids"—only those who occasionally stray due to circumstance or bad influences. The story also includes a special guest appearance by tennis star Gardner Malloy, who shares insights about his Navy career, underlining the broader values of courage, personal growth, and community service.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Highlights

Life in the Navy & Setting the Scene

[01:22–02:36]

• Steve Martin and Jack discuss the adventurous and educational opportunities in the Navy.
• Anecdotes about seeing exotic places, gaining specialized training, and the security offered by Navy life.
• Gardner Malloy recounts how the Navy enriched his life and prepared him physically and professionally.

Quote – Jack (01:32):
"It's not unusual for any Navy man to have been around the world a couple of times..."

The Incident in the Clubhouse

[02:43–03:48]

• Young Jackie is caught near Babe Ruth’s locker; Eddie accuses him of stealing.
• Jackie is apprehended with Babe’s World Series watch.
• Despite Eddie’s protests, Babe Ruth chooses compassion over immediate judgment.

Quote – Babe Ruth (03:38):
"There aren't any bad kids, Eddie. Some of them just get wrong ideas sometimes."

Jackie’s Confession and the Real Villain

[03:48–04:38]

• Jackie explains he was coerced by Duke, a local bully, to steal or risk getting hurt.
• Babe Ruth decides to confront the problem at its source instead of punishing Jackie.

Confronting Duke

[05:19–06:53]

• In a dramatic showdown at the car barns, Babe Ruth and Eddie face Duke, who threatens Jackie.
• Duke attacks, but Babe Ruth stands up to him—resulting in a tense, physical altercation.
• Despite having the upper hand, Babe refuses to harm Duke further after subduing him.

Quote – Babe Ruth (06:53):
"You can't push people around...because you're big and tough...somebody just as big as you is bound to show up someday and cut you down to your right size."

The Bigger Picture: Mercy and Reputation

[07:17–08:06]

• Babe Ruth chooses not to press charges against Duke, believing he’s learned his lesson.
• Ruth also wants to avoid ruining Jackie’s reputation—if the crime were prosecuted, Jackie might be labeled a thief.

Quote – Babe Ruth (07:46):
"If we had Duke arrested, there’d be a trial...Jackie couldn’t prove Duke did force him. Plenty of people would believe Jackie was a thief."

Fallout: Suspension and Sacrifice

[08:17–09:08]

• Babe Ruth and Eddie are fired from the Yankees for abandoning the game to save Jackie.
• Reporters storm Babe’s hotel, but he refuses to reveal the real story, prioritizing protecting Jackie and Duke’s futures over his own reputation.

Quote – Babe Ruth (09:16):
"Call me a dope if you want to, but I still say there are no bad kids, Eddie. Only good kids with wrong ideas."

Resolution and Redemption

[09:25–11:06]

• Duke, grateful for Babe’s mercy, confesses what really happened, thus clearing Babe’s name.
• Babe is reinstated on the team, and the story reconciles, championing second chances for both Jackie and Duke.

Quote – Babe Ruth (10:54):
"You're not a punk, Duke. You're okay now."

Closing Reflections

[11:28–11:43]

• Eddie echoes the episode’s key message about youth and reform, with Babe Ruth’s approval.

Quote – Eddie (11:35):
"There aren't any bad kids, Babe. Good kids just pick up some bad ideas sometimes. But show them how to read the score and they'll straighten out."

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Guest Commentary: Gardner Malloy on Navy Life

[12:04–13:44]

• Malloy speaks about his Navy experience as both formative and fulfilling.
• He links the physical and mental strength gained in the Navy to later athletic success.
• Recommends Navy life to America’s youth.

Quote – Gardner Malloy (13:35):
"I really think, and I honestly say this, that the Navy is a great life."

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Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• "There aren't any bad kids, Eddie. Some of them just get wrong ideas sometimes."
  — Babe Ruth (03:38)

• "You can't push people around and figure to get away with it because you're big and tough."
  — Babe Ruth (06:53)

• "If we had Duke arrested, there’d be a trial... Jackie couldn't prove Duke did force him..."
  — Babe Ruth (07:46)

• "You're not a punk, Duke. You're okay now."
  — Babe Ruth (10:54)

• "There aren't any bad kids, Babe. Good kids just pick up some bad ideas sometimes."
  — Eddie (11:35)

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Episode Takeaways

• Redemption and Compassion: Babe Ruth exemplifies mercy, believing every kid has potential for good.
• Mentorship over Punishment: Ruth’s approach is proactive and empathetic, focusing on correction rather than condemnation.
• Integrity and Sacrifice: Babe chooses to protect vulnerable kids even at personal cost, showing true leadership.
• Service and Growth: The parallel segment with Gardner Malloy reinforces the value of structure, discipline, and personal growth offered by the Navy.

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Next Week’s Teaser:
Steve Martin hints at a story involving a "beanball pitcher" and one of Babe Ruth’s most sensational exploits.

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For Listeners:
This episode beautifully blends a slice of old-time baseball with timeless life lessons about empathy, second chances, and the importance of mentorship.

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Transcript

[Eddie]

Dude, this new bacon, egg and chicken biscuit from AM PM Total winner. Winner, chicken breakfast.

[Gardner Malloy]

Chicken breakfast.

[Eddie]

Come on. I think you mean chicken dinner, bro. Nah, brother. Crispy bacon, fluffy eggs, juicy chicken and a buttery biscuit. That's the perfect breakfast. All right, let me try it.

[Gardner Malloy]

Mmm.

[Babe Ruth]

Okay.

[Eddie]

Yeah, totally. Winner, winner, chicken breakfast. I'm gonna have to keep this right here. Make sure every breakfast is a winner with the delicious new bacon, egg and chicken biscuit from AM PM AM P. M. Too much good stuff. Play ball with Babe Ruth.

[Steve Martin]

Play ball with the Navy. The United States Navy brings you the adventures of Babe Ruth. And here to tell you about the immortal Babe is the man who knew him so well. His pal, the popular sports reporter, Steve Martin.

[Jack]

One of Babe Ruth's most exciting adventures took place when I was at sea on Navy maneuvers. Eddie, who was the Yankees bad boy at the time, is going to tell you how the big fella risked his life against a tough Chicago hoodlum. But before you meet Eddie, I know you'll be interested in a short message from Jackson Beck. Come in, Jack.

[Steve Martin]

Steve, a few minutes ago, before the show, you and Gardner Malloy, the tennis star who's our guest today? We're yarning about some of the strange and wonderful places you've been with the Navy. Why not tell everybody?

[Jack]

Sure, Jack, it's not unusual for any Navy man to have been around the world a couple of times. If you're an American, the chances are you've got some red blooded love of adventure in you. And again for the strange exotic cities of the world. Shanghai, Stockholm, Ceylon and Rome. And rolling down to Rio with a great ship under you. And the infinite sky above Gibraltar, Burma, London and Paris. Bullfights in Lisbon, the pyramids in Egypt, the temples of Rangoon. Those are the things that a Navy man sees free. Believe me. That's the life for a young fellow. And you can make it one of the finest careers in the world, too. But there's more than just fun and travel in the Navy. There's education, the chance to be a specialist in one of the many Navy skills. There's fast advancement, too, and the security that everyone wants for. Under the Navy's liberal retirement plan, you're guaranteed a lifetime income.

[Steve Martin]

Sounds good to me, Steve.

[Jack]

It is good, Jack. Very good indeed. And if you're a young man over 17, be sure to get all the details at your nearest Navy recruiting office.

[Steve Martin]

And now, here's Eddie, the Yankees Bat Boy and the Adventures of Babe Ruth.

[Eddie]

I was late getting into the clubhouse with my bats. One Day and all the players were gone except Babe. He was across the room rummaging through a trunk, and I noticed a little kid in front of his locker.

[Babe Ruth]

I got an extra feelers glove you can have, Jackie. Yeah, maybe a baseball cap, too. How's that?

[Jackie]

Gee, thanks, Babe.

[Eddie]

Hey, what did you just take out of the Babe's locker, kid?

[Jackie]

Oh, me?

[Eddie]

Yeah, you. Give me what you took out of his locker.

[Jackie]

I didn't take nothing. Let me go.

[Eddie]

I saw you. Give me what you took out of the Babe's locker. There you go.

[Jackie]

You hurt?

[Eddie]

You dirty little thief. Give me a. Come on, hand it over. Cut it out, I said.

[Babe Ruth]

I'll let him go. What's the idea of jumping this little guy, Eddie?

[Eddie]

This is the idea.

[Babe Ruth]

Babes. Here.

[Eddie]

Look what he swiped out of your locker.

[Babe Ruth]

That's my World Series watch. Jackie, did you try to steal my watch?

[Jackie]

I didn't want to, Babe, honest.

[Eddie]

But you were walking in your sleep, huh?

[Babe Ruth]

Lay off, Eddie. Come on, son.

[Eddie]

Oh, now, look, babe, you don't want to listen to a phony sob story. This is a bad, no good kid.

[Babe Ruth]

There aren't any bad kids, Eddie. Some of them just get wrong ideas sometimes. Now, come on, Jackie, stop crying. Tell me why you stole my watch.

[Jackie]

It was on account of Duke, this big boy. He makes all new kids in the neighborhood pay him $10 or else he beats him up. I couldn't get any $10, so he said I had to come in here and steal a watch or he'd beat me up so I'd have to go to the hospital.

[Eddie]

Ah, that's a lot of baloney.

[Babe Ruth]

We're going to find out if it is or not. Look, Jackie, where is this Duke character?

[Jackie]

He's waiting for me outside in his car, but.

[Babe Ruth]

Okay, let's go out and see him.

[Jackie]

No, Babe. If he knows I squealed, oh, he'll kill me.

[Babe Ruth]

Oh, no, he won't.

[Jackie]

There he goes. That was Duke. He saw us, Babe.

[Eddie]

Hey, that guy looks even bigger than you, Babe.

[Jackie]

He used to be a professional fighter. Oh, gosh. Now he knows I squealed on him, he'll.

[Babe Ruth]

Don't be afraid, Jackie. He won't bother you anymore.

[Jackie]

He will. He.

[Babe Ruth]

He won't. Now he knows I'm behind you. But just in case he does, you get in touch with me right away, understand? Wherever I am.

[Eddie]

The big fella didn't know what he was letting himself in for when he told Jackie that, and neither did I. But we found out the next day at the ballpark. We were trailing the White Sox by 11 in the 8th inning when Combs worked the pitcher for a pass and Sewell singled. Babe fouled one off and broke his bat. He came back to the dugout for another bat when one of the clubhouse attendants came running up to him and said something to him. Well, the next thing we knew, the big fella dropped his bat and started through the dug out to the tunnel. Manager Huggins tried to stop. Hey, where are you going? Babe?

[Jackie]

Come back here.

[Eddie]

Babe. Hey, where are you? Babe. Dave, wait for me. Where you going?

[Babe Ruth]

Get my car, Eddie. Duke's got Jackie.

[Jackie]

What?

[Eddie]

Where?

[Babe Ruth]

In an old car barn. Some friend of Jackie's phone for me. Duke said he was going to kill the kid.

[Eddie]

We tore up 39th street in the big fellow's car and pulled up behind some boarded up car barns. Duke's red roaster was there. We piled on those big half dark barns and saw two husky kids, each holding one of little Jackie's arms. Duke was standing in front of Jackie and he had a lead pipe in his hand. Duke was saying, take my advice, will you? I told you I'd get you a little punk. Squeal on me, will you?

[Jackie]

Don't hit me, Duke.

[Eddie]

I'm gonna fix you good.

[Jackie]

Oh, that's Babe.

[Eddie]

Babe Ruth. I'm getting on, Daddy. Hey, come back here, you guys.

[Babe Ruth]

No, no, let him go, Eddie. Duke, here's the one we want. Now, look, Duke, I won't.

[Eddie]

I'll teach you to keep your nose out of my business, Ruth. Like Babe. Babe, look out. How do you like it, big shot? And this thing? Oh, my gosh. Big fella was down on one knee and there was blood on his forehead. I jumped in and Duke hit me across the face with the lead pipe, sending me reeling. Then he was standing over Babe again, slugging him. But in a minute, the big fella was up and fighting for his life. He worked his way in.

[Jackie]

Left fly.

[Eddie]

And Duke was down. He got right up and Babe dropped him again. Duke had trouble getting up. When he finally made it, he could hardly raise his hands. He was ripe for the kill.

[Jackie]

Send him to dreamland, Babe.

[Eddie]

Let him have it, Babe. The okay off now, boys.

[Babe Ruth]

He's had enough. Am I right, Duke?

[Gardner Malloy]

Yes.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Nuts to that, Babe. He wasn't gonna let Jackie off that easy.

[Babe Ruth]

I never hit a man when he's down, did he? Anyhow, I don't think Duke will cause Jackie any more trouble. Or any other youngster either. How about it, Duke?

[Eddie]

Well, I don't.

[Babe Ruth]

You see, boys, Duke just had to learn. You can't Push people around and figure to get away with it because you're big and tough. It's not only bad sportsmanship, it's dumb. Somebody just as big as you is bound to show up someday and cut you down to your right size. Let's go now, Eddie. Come on, Jackie.

[Eddie]

Wait, Babe. Ain't you gonna have me pinched? No.

[Babe Ruth]

No, Duke. Maybe I ought to, But I gotta hunt. You learned your lesson today. If I'm wrong, well, you'll just get in the worst jam and the law will catch up with you. Let's get the car and get back to the park, boys. There's a ball game going on.

[Eddie]

You must have gone soft in the head, letting that Duke character go. Babe. Don't give me that baloney about his learning his lesson.

[Babe Ruth]

I think he did, Eddie, but I had another reason.

[Eddie]

Yeah? What? Jackie.

[Babe Ruth]

If we had Duke arrested, there'd be a trial. That stuff about Jackie trying to steal my watch would have to come out. And Duke might deny he forced Jackie to do it.

[Eddie]

Sure, he'd deny it.

[Babe Ruth]

That's just it. Jackie couldn't prove Duke did force him. And plenty of people would believe Jackie was a thief. He might even draw a reform school stretch.

[Eddie]

Say, that's right, Babe.

[Babe Ruth]

But still, that's why I made Jackie promise to keep quiet about what happened today. And I want you to promise the same thing, Eddie. Well, sure, if you say so, Babe. That's my boy. Now, if only, uh.

[Eddie]

Oh, what now?

[Babe Ruth]

I can see the scoreboard from here. The game's over and we lost.

[Eddie]

Oh, no.

[Babe Ruth]

Oh, yes. Well, here's where we face the music. For running out on the game, you mean.

[Eddie]

Babe, you refuse to tell me why you walked out on the game today.

[Babe Ruth]

I can't hug. I wish I could, but, well, I just can't.

[Eddie]

Okay, then. Turn in your uniform, huh? No. You come in at the one unpardonable sin of a ball player walking out on a game and on his team. Not even the great Babe Ruth can get away with that. You're cool, Babe. Finished, washed up. That goes for you. To Eddie. You're both no longer Yankees. The newspaper headlines the next morning were a foot high. Babe Ruth fired from the Yankees. Reporters practically broke down the door of his hotel room in Chicago, but he wouldn't let them in. I pleaded with him to give out the real story, but he wouldn't.

[Babe Ruth]

I told you, Eddie, if I talk, Duke will be arrested and Jackie too, and both their lives will be ruined.

[Eddie]

Oh, now, don't tell me you care what happens to that. No, Good Duke character.

[Babe Ruth]

Call me a dope if you want to, but I still say there are no bad kids, Eddie. Only good kids with wrong ideas. Here we go again.

[Eddie]

Babe, let me in. Babe. Hey, Babe, it's the Miller at the door.

[Jackie]

It's Huggins.

[Babe Ruth]

Don't let him in, or anybody else. Babe, we've got.

[Eddie]

No, no. None of your reporters get in. Just Huggins. Hurry up, Hug.

[Gardner Malloy]

Babe.

[Eddie]

You stupid son of a guy.

[Babe Ruth]

Hold it, Hug. You already called me enough names.

[Eddie]

I'm gonna call you a lot more. You're not only stupid, stubborn, thick headed, ridiculous, but you're also the finest, swellest.

[Gardner Malloy]

Greatest guy I ever knew.

[Eddie]

Put it there.

[Steve Martin]

Babe.

[Eddie]

Tell me there's no hard feelings, but what goes on here? I got the whole story. Just a little while ago, you were standing by that little kid and why you left the game the other day.

[Babe Ruth]

Wait, Hug. You mean that little dummy Jackie talked just to help me?

[Eddie]

He must have. Jackie? Who's Jackie? Who's.

[Babe Ruth]

Say, where did you get the story?

[Eddie]

Why, from Parker.

[Steve Martin]

Parker?

[Jackie]

Who's Parker?

[Eddie]

Are you guys trying to kid me? No, not at all.

[Babe Ruth]

I don't know any Parker.

[Eddie]

Well, I don't get this, but. Wait a minute. Come in here, Parker. No, no, no.

[Jackie]

Just Parker.

[Eddie]

There he is now. What in the world?

[Babe Ruth]

Hey, Duke.

[Eddie]

It's Duke.

[Babe Ruth]

Hello, Mr. Luke. It's not Mr. Ruth, it's Babe. And what do you mean opening your big mouth? What do you think I kept mine shut for?

[Eddie]

I know why. Give me a break.

[Babe Ruth]

But no, not only you. Not only you. It was Jackie, too. I don't want his name dirty.

[Eddie]

Take it easy. I didn't give out his name to Mr. Huggins. I'm not gonna. I just told him what happened. I said I might be a heel, but not so big a heel. I can keep my trap shut and let you take the rap for me?

[Gardner Malloy]

When?

[Eddie]

Well, after what you did for me.

[Gardner Malloy]

Not turning me in and talking to.

[Eddie]

Me like I wasn't just a punk.

[Babe Ruth]

That must beat your Amy. You're not a punk, Duke. You're okay now.

[Eddie]

Holy Cats. It's 2:10. The game starts in 20 minutes. You're gonna play today, Babe, and get us back in the race for the penny.

[Babe Ruth]

Am I gonna play today? Tell him, Eddie.

[Eddie]

I haven't got time. I gotta get to the park and sell those socks, pictures, some life insurance. They're gonna need it today. The night we left Chicago, after we said goodbye to Jackie and Duke, I was on the observation platform with Babe. The big fella kind of chuckles a.

[Gardner Malloy]

Little and says to me, you see.

[Babe Ruth]

What I mean, Eddie?

[Eddie]

About what, Babe?

[Babe Ruth]

About bad kids.

[Eddie]

There aren't any bad kids, Babe. Good kids just pick up some bad ideas sometimes. But show them how to read the score and they'll straighten out. Okay.

[Babe Ruth]

You know, Eddie, I think you got something there.

[Jack]

Our guest is Gardner Malloy, who has been national doubles champion for four years and was a member of the Davis cup team for three successive years. Much more than all that, Gardner Malloy was a skipper of an LST in the amphibious forces in the Mediterranean during the war and is a veteran of five beachhead landings. As an old and experienced Navy man, as well as one of America's great tennis players, he has a few things to say.

[Gardner Malloy]

I went into the Navy's V7 course just after the war started and spent four rich, full years as a Navy man. And I think I can say from my own experience that it is a full life and with plenty of athletics, too. Of course, I didn't play as much tennis during the war years as I have since or before, but I still played enough and learned plenty, too, in the very field in which I was interested, executive work. Life aboard ship is really pretty wonderful. You get to see the world, you have adventure, and you know all the time that you're getting paid, perhaps even better than you might in civilian life. I can recommend the Navy as a lifetime career and do it in very definite terms, because I not only know from my own experience, but I've seen what it has done for other young men. As a matter of fact, my tennis coach, Slim Harbit of Miami, who is in the Navy, too, incidentally, has often remarked that a lot of my present physical fitness is due to my strenuous Navy background. I really think, and I honestly say this, that the Navy is a great life.

[Jack]

Thanks very much, Gardener Malloy. I think a lot of America's young men will accept your recommendation that Navy life is a good life.

[Steve Martin]

Steve, I think a lot of them, too, will want a copy of that colorful, interesting book on Navy sports. It's called Play Ball around the World, and anybody can get it free simply by asking for it at the nearby Navy recruiting office. Now, Steve, what story have you got for us next week?

[Jack]

Well, next week, Jack, I'm going to tell you about a beanball pitcher who tried to finish Babe Ruth and brought about the most sensational exploit in the big fellow's career.

[Steve Martin]

Sounds great, Steve, and we'll all be listening. The Adventures of Babe Ruth is written by Ben Freeman, produced by Woody Close, directed by Ronald Dawson and presented by the United States Navy.

[Eddie]

Sam.