Which mentor at St. Mary's helped develop Babe Ruth's baseball skills?

Brother Matthias Boutlier helped develop Babe Ruth’s baseball skills at St. Mary’s Industrial School in Baltimore. Born Martin Leo Boutlier, he served as the school’s Prefect of Discipline and became a mentor, coach, and father figure to the troubled boy who arrived there at age seven.

Matthias taught Ruth the fundamentals of throwing, catching, hitting, and fielding. Ruth initially played catcher despite being left-handed, often using an awkward right-handed catcher’s glove. Matthias later pushed him toward pitching, where his powerful arm began attracting attention. He also encouraged Ruth’s aggressive swing and taught him to play multiple positions.

Ruth credited Matthias throughout his life, calling him one of the greatest men he had ever known. Ruth’s running style and uppercut swing were said to resemble Matthias’s own athletic mannerisms. After becoming wealthy, Ruth gave his former mentor a Cadillac in 1926 and replaced it after the first car was destroyed. Brother Paul and Brother Gilbert were also associated with St. Mary’s, but Matthias was the mentor most directly linked to Ruth’s baseball development.