When late Yankees legend Babe Ruth clapped back at Lou Gehrig's mother for blaming his second wife over stepdaughter's mistreatment

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were both MLB legends, but the two once got into a verbal spat when Ruth lashed out at Gehrig's wife for insulting his spouse.

One weekend in early 1930s, Dorothy, Babe's first wife's 12-year-old child, visited Lou's mother while dressed as a scruffy tomgirl. This was an insult in Mrs. Gehrig's opinion because she was opinionated and domineering.

The New York Times reported in 1991:

"Why doesn't Claire dress her as properly as she does Julia?" Mrs. Gehrig said, angrily. (Julia was Claire Ruth's daughter by her first marriage.)

The remark quickly reached Claire's ears, then Babe's.

Ruth said: "Why doesn't Mom Gehrig mind her own damned business!"

Gehrig, who was fiercely loyal to his mother, could never put up with such an insulting verbal attack on her character. Babe and Lou hardly ever spoke to one another off the pitch as a result. They complied when photographers requested them to pose together and exchange handshakes at home plate, as is customary following home runs. However, Lou was compelled to imitate his signature grin in Ruth's presence.

Women doomed Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig's relationship as per author Tony Castro

Author Tony Castro described a connection between Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig that would be more at home on Page Six than in the sports pages in his book, "Gehrig & the Babe: The Friendship and the Feud." Castro claimed that the friendship between the two future Hall of Famers was wrecked by women.

As per the New York Post:

The Babe himself admitted it, telling confidant Johnny Grant, “Most people don’t know this, but we had a falling out . . . we didn’t talk for years.” Grant asked what was behind it. “Women,” Ruth said. “It’s always broads.”

Castro claimed that Ruth and Gehrig had further disagreements. Ruth didn't give Gehrig's record-breaking stretch of consecutive victories much thought. He was also disappointed that Gehrig didn't back his efforts to manage the Yankees.

Chicago White Sox v New York Yankees

Gehrig was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939 while Babe Ruth was inducted in 1936.