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Was Babe Ruth Obese?

This subject has came up on a different thread and made me curious.....so here are the numbers.

The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. It is what doctors use to diagnos medical conditions related to weight.
This is figured by the forumla: BMI = lb * 703 / in2

According to baseballreference.com, Babe Ruth was 6' 2" and 215 lb. It does not give a reference to the weight/height, but it is likely the latest information they could find, meaning it likely comes from later in his career. Anyone with some Babe Ruth cards can verify this one way or another perhaps.

Anyway, this makes gives Babe Ruth a BMI of 27.6, which puts him in the upper end of "overweight", but does not fit the medical definition of obese.

Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = 30 or greater

So to my surprize...Babe Ruth was not obese.

Clear Skies,
Mark
Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.

Comments

  • MeteoriteGuyMeteoriteGuy Posts: 7,140 ✭✭


    << <i>The problem with the BMI is that it's a one size fits all answer that only takes height into account. It doesn't consider the varying skeletal frames of different individuals of the same height, let alone different propensities for muscle mass and other body considerations. If Babe Ruth were pretty much skin and bones, he probably would be at least 180-190 lbs. However, many people 6' 2" that are "skin and bones" could pull off 150-160 lbs. >>



    I agree...but note, obese is a medical term with a medical definition, which is where I was going with this. I am sure we could likely get three medical experts here and they could point out problems in the chart as well. Reguardless, the above is what is used to define obesity, so by current medical definition, Ruth was not obese.
    Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
    Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
  • jeffcbayjeffcbay Posts: 8,948 ✭✭✭✭
    Wow, I'm fat!! lol

    I'm 6'-5" and 325, which makes me a 38.5 (according to a BMI calculator on the web).

    Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go jog... image

    image
  • according to baseballreference Tony Gwynn was 185, Cecil Fielder 230 and Kirby Puckett 178. I wonder what they would weigh if they put the other foot on the scale
    Tom


  • << <i>The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. >>



    Are you sure it is a measure of body fat, or perhaps it could it be a measure of body mass instead?
    Tom
  • jeffcbayjeffcbay Posts: 8,948 ✭✭✭✭
    So what's Prince Fielder? lol
  • MeteoriteGuyMeteoriteGuy Posts: 7,140 ✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. >>



    Are you sure it is a measure of body fat, or perhaps it could it be a measure of body mass instead? >>



    From the Center of Disease Control and Prevention
    http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/

    "Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person's weight and height. BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems."

    Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
    Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,477 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ruth's was a bit top heavy later in his career (those old b&w films make him look comical rounding the bases), but I would definitely not classify him as obese...for most of his career he was average weight in fact, and was considered a fine athlete in his era (in addition to being the greatest ballplayer of all time, that is, lol).


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • GarabaldiGarabaldi Posts: 2,004 ✭✭✭
    I thought people back then generally weighed less than they do now. Would the BMI have a different scale back then?
  • billwaltonsbeardbillwaltonsbeard Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭✭
    I wonder how many STDs Babe had.
  • According to THIS BMI calculator, I am overweight. Are you friggin kidding me?

    image
  • BarndogBarndog Posts: 20,454 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>According to THIS BMI calculator, I am overweight. Are you friggin kidding me?

    image >>



    neither you nor your dad look overweight.


  • << <i>neither you nor your dad look overweight. >>



    That was pretty darn funny right there.
  • BoopottsBoopotts Posts: 6,784 ✭✭


    << <i>According to THIS BMI calculator, I am overweight. Are you friggin kidding me?

    image >>



    image




    Why does Bobcat Goldthwait have his arms wrapped around that little boy?
  • GarabaldiGarabaldi Posts: 2,004 ✭✭✭
    When you post a pic of yourself you basically are placing the ball on the tee.
  • jeffcbayjeffcbay Posts: 8,948 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>When you post a pic of yourself you basically are placing the ball on the tee. >>



    Did you say placing the ball on the tee? Another pic of me. I don't care if people see my fat a$$. image
  • Mickey71Mickey71 Posts: 4,224 ✭✭✭✭
    Tony Gwynn was obese. He basically ate his way out of baseball. He was a good hitter when he retired. He was just way too fat. Prince Fielder looks like he weighs 320 at least. Griffey was getting fat.
  • I'm not an expert, and the uniform is kinda baggy, but he doesn't look obese to my eyes.
    image
    I think he gets a bad rap because it was only later in his career (when he was a bit over weight) the cameras were more popular, thus more footage of him "livin' large" exsists making it seem that perhaps he was over weight his whole career.
  • GarabaldiGarabaldi Posts: 2,004 ✭✭✭
    Look how much bigger he is than the catcher and umpire. He was a large man and he does not look fat at all.
  • softparadesoftparade Posts: 9,267 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ruth was as fine an athletic specimen as you could find in those early to mid years. Fat Babe that most people relate to did not show up until later in his career when cameras and film at ballgames were becoming more prominent.

    ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240

  • A guy who idolized Ruth named David Wells could have been considered obese, but the guy could not only flat out
    pitch, but he could field his position with the best of them.
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭


    << <i>I'm not an expert, and the uniform is kinda baggy, but he doesn't look obese to my eyes.
    image
    I think he gets a bad rap because it was only later in his career (when he was a bit over weight) the cameras were more popular, thus more footage of him "livin' large" exsists making it seem that perhaps he was over weight his whole career. >>


    His friggin shoulders and legs were HUGE ... which may have made him look "FAT". Take a look at his stomach in that pic ... pretty good shape as far as I can see!
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
    I just hate it when people use the John Goodman movie or the Braves photos of Ruth to say look at the best player in baseball he was a fat pig and ate 40 hot dogs before every game.

    Alot of that was myth for one thing and the guy could have been a HOF pitcher let alone the best hitter in MLB history. He was a great athlete for 95% of his career.
    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,719 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No...


    The man enjoyed life and was in fact bigger than life but that does not make him obese... perhaps well fed at best

    Frankly in view of all of the crap in sports today, he should be appreciated even more

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • So who was the rocket scientist who said he was obese in the first place image
  • BoopottsBoopotts Posts: 6,784 ✭✭


    << <i>So who was the rocket scientist who said he was obese in the first place image >>



    That was me, in an earlier thread on the World Cup.
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,719 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I thought about attempting to make the distinction between life, technology, medicine and all the differences between life then and today...

    Then, I asked...why?

    What difference does it really have other than creating an end result that will merely place Ruth on even a higher pedestal and humiliate athletes that claim to be better when in fact they have had the benefit of all the things that have transpired since then?

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • MeteoriteGuyMeteoriteGuy Posts: 7,140 ✭✭


    << <i>I thought about attempting to make the distinction between life, technology, medicine and all the differences between life then and today...

    Then, I asked...why?

    What difference does it really have other than creating an end result that will merely place Ruth on even a higher pedestal and humiliate athletes that claim to be better when in fact they have had the benefit of all the things that have transpired since then? >>



    It might make interesting reading.

    Although, I am not sure any of that would matter on if Babe Ruth was obese or not. Nor do I think it matters if the person is "big boned", stocky or whatever. All sound more like excuses why someone is big, overweight or obese.

    I have never heard anyone say, "He's not small, he just has small bones."

    Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
    Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
  • MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
    BMI is not a good indicator of obesity, the amount of fat as percentage of your total body weight is.

    This can be done with a body density test that involves suspending someone in water and measuring the amount of water displaced.

    Doctors do not use the BMI for anything when treating overweight people. Its used and was developed by the insurance industry to try and limit liability on covering people with preexisting conditions like obesity.

    Almost all NFL, NBA and Body Builders would test out as obese considering the amount of weight in muscle per their height.

    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set


  • << <i>So who was the rocket scientist who said he was obese in the first place image >>



    Maybe not obese, but a fat-ass who wouldnt make the yankess farm team today.
  • EstilEstil Posts: 6,862 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>The problem with the BMI is that it's a one size fits all answer that only takes height into account. It doesn't consider the varying skeletal frames of different individuals of the same height, let alone different propensities for muscle mass and other body considerations. If Babe Ruth were pretty much skin and bones, he probably would be at least 180-190 lbs. However, many people 6' 2" that are "skin and bones" could pull off 150-160 lbs. >>



    All the more reason I think that whole BMI thing is a joke.
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  • Happy 118th Babe!
  • I think Ruth was "large" for his time. Kind of Like John Wayne.

    The differences in nutrition, peoples body mass, height, were very different then. I.e., like the 3 stooges, those guys were short. Ruth at 6'2, 215 in the 20's or 30's would be like 6'4, 235 now.
  • Happy 119th birthday Babe!
  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,171 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Look how much bigger he is than the catcher and umpire. He was a large man and he does not look fat at all. >>



    Tried to watch an old baseball movie with Ruth in it "Pride of the Yankees(?)". The one thing that stood out was Ruth was HUGE compared to the average person, not fat (at a the time of the movie) just MUCH taller and bigger than the normal person.

    Just like many of us, he got fat in his older years.
    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • telephoto1telephoto1 Posts: 4,711 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm 6'-4" and 210...according to that BMI calculator I'm just at the threshold of "overweight"- 25.6... Interesting. My ideal target weight is around 185-190 or so.

    Babe was stocky but not obese. Obese guys couldn't play the way he did (both on and off the field)...

    RIP Mom- 1932-2012
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