University of Missouri Athletics

A baseball pitcher from Malden, Missouri, Pruett lettered just one year at MU, in 1921, but made his mark on the Major League Baseball world with his ability to strike out the great Babe Ruth. Before his retirement from baseball, in 1932, Pruett compiled a 29-48 record, pitching for the St. Louis Browns, New York Giants, Boston Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. Later a doctor in St. Louis for 40 years, Pruett perfected a “screwball” and used it to strike out Ruth 10 of the first 13 times he faced him. In all, he faced Ruth 30 times. The “Babe” got only four hits in those at-bats (including one home run off a curveball), struck out 15 times, walked eight times, sacrificed once, and grounded out twice.