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Photos: Babe Ruth’s 1934 visit to 鶹ýӳbrought to life in colour

George “Babe” Ruth, his wife Claire and daughter Julia were pictured before setting sail on the Empress of Japan Oct. 20, 1934

Many photos of come only in shades of black and white but thanks to the work of a photo colourizer, there are now some images just as colourful as his career. 

Two photographs of George “Babe” Ruth’s visit to 鶹ýӳin 1934 were brought to life by the talents of Mark Truelove who runs . At the time, Ruth was part of a star-studded lineup of major league baseball players who played an exhibition game at now long-gone Athletic Park. The game was part of a barnstorming expedition that took the players through 鶹ýӳon their way to a historic 17-game tour of Japan.

A lineup that accompanied Lou Gehrig, Lefty Gomez, Charlie Gehringer and Lefty O’Doul, who later managed the 鶹ýӳMounties team when the Pacific Coast League, made its local debut in 1956. 

The team played in the pouring rain to a nine-inning 2-2 tie before boarding the Empress of Japan, a Glasgow-built liner that made regular trans-Pacific sailings between Vancouver, Hong Kong and Japan, the following day.

A third photograph of The Sultan of Swat , showing Ruth leaning against his 1926 Nash Sedan in Stanley Park.

Babe Ruth Vancouver5
Babe Ruth leans against his 1926 Nash Sedan in Stanley Park. By American Photographer

With files from Andrew Fleming