Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong recently expressed support for a fringe conspiracy theory suggesting Babe Ruth never existed, citing the limited visual documentation of the baseball legend’s career as a basis for the claim.
During an appearance on Kristin Cavallari’s Let’s Be Honest podcast, Crow-Armstrong was asked to share an unpopular opinion. Instead of addressing a typical topic, he referenced a 2024 interview with Seattle Mariners pitcher Tayler Saucedo, in which Saucedo speculated about Ruth’s existence due to the scarcity of footage from his playing era (1914–1935).
"This is gonna be crazy," Crow-Armstrong began. "Babe Ruth never existed is one that I like... I heard some pitcher with the Mariners... I think he did some podcast on Zoom when he was going down the rabbit hole about how Babe Ruth never existed, and I was like, dude, that’s awesome."
He expanded on the idea by contextualizing it within baseball’s evolution, noting that Ruth’s legendary status persists despite the era’s technological limitations. "We always talk about how the game is evolving, and people may as well have been underhanding the ball to that guy, and he’s regarded still as one of the best players ever. You might as well dive further into it and be like, well maybe he just never existed."
Crow-Armstrong’s remarks were met with skepticism by his podcast co-host, Carson Kelly, who responded with laughter and the comment, "That’s crazy."
The conspiracy theory Saucedo referenced stems from the lack of video evidence from Ruth’s era, a period predating widespread television and film recording. Despite this, Ruth’s legacy is documented through contemporaneous newspaper accounts, photographs, and eyewitness testimonies from teammates, opponents, and fans.
Saucedo’s original claim, made during a 2024 interview, suggested that the absence of visual footage casts doubt on Ruth’s existence. Crow-Armstrong did not explicitly endorse the theory but described it as an intriguing thought experiment.
The discussion on the podcast shifted shortly after, with no further elaboration on the conspiracy theory. Crow-Armstrong has not publicly addressed the remarks since the episode’s release.
Babe Ruth, born George Herman Ruth Jr., remains one of the most iconic figures in baseball history, renowned for his 714 career home runs, a record that stood for decades, and his role in popularizing the sport during the early 20th century. His career spanned the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and briefly the Boston Braves, with his tenure with the Yankees cementing his status as a cultural icon.