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Babe Ruth, Spanish Flu, And 'The Great War' In New Book

Babe Ruth in his final days with the Red Sox.
Babe Ruth in his final days with the Red Sox.

Maybe you already knew that the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 1918, with Babe Ruth starring. Turns out there was a lot more going on in Boston at the time.

The first World War was still on that fall, and the "Spanish Flu" pandemic was just getting started. The German-born conductor of the Boston Symphony was accused of being a spy, and Harvard graduate Charles Whittlesey returned a hero from overseas.

Both men (and "The Babe") feature prominently in the book War Fever: Boston, Baseball, and America in the Shadow of the Great War. Authors Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith visit with an overview.

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The Jefferson Exchange is Jefferson Public Radio's daily news program focused on issues, people and events across Southern Oregon and Northern California. Natalie Golay is the program's senior producer, Charlie Zimmermann is the assistant producer, and Mike Green hosts the show.