Loren Babe

Who was Loren Babe?

Loren Rolland Babe, nicknamed "Bee Bee," was an American professional baseball infielder, manager, scout and coach.

The native of Pisgah, Iowa, was first signed by the New York Yankees in 1945 and was a longtime player and manager in the Bombers' minor league organization. During his two seasons in Major League Baseball, he played for the Yankees and the Philadelphia Athletics. He was traded back to the Yankees after the 1953 season but did not play another major league game. He registered 85 hits in 382 at bats, yielding a .223 batting average. He batted left-handed, threw right-handed, stood 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 180 pounds.

After his playing days were over, Babe worked as a minor league manager and Major League Baseball coach. He was the Yankees' first base coach in 1967, on the staff of skipper Ralph Houk. In 1983, while scouting for the Chicago White Sox, Babe was diagnosed with colon cancer. At the time, he needed 57 days of Major League service to become a vested member of the players' pension plan, which also provides health benefits. The ChiSox named Babe to their coaching staff to enable him to qualify. At the same time the White Sox had another coach, batting instructor Charlie Lau, who was battling colon cancer. Babe and Lau both survived the 1983 season while undergoing cancer treatments.