American · Baltimore · Born 6 February 1895 · Died 1948-08-16American baseball legend known as 'The Babe', transformed the game with his unprecedented home run hitting power and became baseball's first major celebrity.
Born George Herman Ruth Jr. in Baltimore, Maryland, on February 6, 1895, the future baseball legend experienced a difficult childhood in a poor waterfront neighborhood. His parents, unable to manage his behavior, sent him to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys at age seven, where he remained for most of his youth. At St. Mary's, Brother Matthias Boutlier introduced Ruth to baseball, recognizing his exceptional natural talent as both a pitcher and hitter. Ruth began his professional career with the Baltimore Orioles in 1914 before being sold to the Boston Red Sox later that year. Initially succeeding as a left-handed pitcher, he compiled an impressive 89-46 record over six seasons while helping Boston win three World Series titles (1915, 1916, 1918). However, his extraordinary hitting ability gradually shifted him toward regular position play. The Red Sox's decision to sell Ruth to the New York Yankees for $100,000 in December 1919 became one of the most consequential transactions in sports history. Ruth's Yankees tenure from 1920 to 1934 established him as baseball's greatest star. He revolutionized the game by transforming it from a low-scoring, strategic contest into an exciting power-hitting spectacle. His 60 home runs in 1927 set a single-season record that stood until 1961, while his Yankees teams captured four World Series championships. Ruth's combination of prodigious home run hitting, charismatic personality, and larger-than-life presence attracted unprecedented crowds and media attention during baseball's golden age. Ruth finished his career with 714 home runs, a record that endured for nearly four decades, along with a .342 lifetime batting average. Selected among the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, he died of throat cancer on August 16, 1948. Ruth's impact transcended statistics, as he single-handedly elevated baseball to America's national pastime and remains the sport's most iconic figure, symbolizing both athletic excellence and the American Dream.
Revolutionary power hitter who transformed baseball from dead-ball era to home run era
In 1927 he hit 60 home runs — more than the total of every other American League team combined.
Did You Know?How They Played
Power hitter and pitcher, left-handed batter and thrower
Lasting Impact
Considered greatest baseball player ever, saved MLB after 1919 Black Sox scandal
Career Honours
- World Series Champion 7x
- 714 career home runs
- 60 HR season 1927 (then record)
- MLB Pitching record ERA 2.28
- American League MVP (1923)
- All-Star selection (1933, 1934)
| Team | Period | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Red Sox | 1914–1919 | 158 |
| New York Yankees | 1920–1934 | 2084 |
| Boston Braves | 1935–1935 | 28 |
American Athletes