Ruth, Babe

Ruth, Babe

(1895-1948), was the first great home run hitter in baseball history. His batting ability and colorful personality attracted huge crowds wherever he played. He made baseball more exciting by establishing homers as a common part of the game. Ruth had a .342 lifetime batting average.

George Herman Ruth was born on Feb. 6, 1895, in Baltimore. He began his baseball career in 1914 with the Baltimore Orioles, a minor league team at the time. Later that same year, he joined the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher. In the 1916 and 1918 World Series, Ruth pitched 29²/₃ consecutive scoreless innings. He won 94 games and lost 46 during his major league career. But Ruth had even greater talent as a hitter and began to play regularly in the outfield in 1918. That year also marked his first big home run season, when he hit 11. In 1920, the Red Sox sold Ruth to the New York Yankees. He attracted so many fans that Yankee Stadium, which opened in 1923, was nicknamed “the House That Ruth Built.” Ruth led the American League in home runs 12 times, in runs batted in 6 times, and in runs scored 8 times. In 1924, he had the highest batting average (.378).

In 1927, Babe Ruth set a record of 60 home runs during a 154-game season. In 1961, Roger Maris hit 61 home runs during a 162-game season. Both feats were considered major league records until 1991, when Maris’s 61 home runs were recognized as the sole record. Ruth hit 714 homers during his career, a record until Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run in 1974.

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Babe Ruth's last visit to Yankee Stadium—June 13, 1948 The Yankees released Ruth after the 1934 season, and he ended his playing career in 1935 with the Boston Braves. In the final game he started in the outfield for Boston, Ruth hit three home runs. In 1936, Ruth became one of the first five players elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He died Aug. 16, 1948.