Babe Ruth

George Herman Ruth Jr. was born February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland, and spent part of his early youth at St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, an institution that taught him baseball fundamentals and where he first developed as a pitcher. He signed with the Boston Red Sox organization and debuted in the major leagues as a left‑handed pitcher, helping the Red Sox win World Series titles in 1915, 1916 and 1918 while also demonstrating exceptional hitting ability. The Red Sox converted Ruth into a full‑time position player to take advantage of his hitting; his power hitting quickly reshaped offensive strategy in baseball and helped usher in the sport’s “live‑ball” era. In 1919 and especially after his sale to the New York Yankees in December 1919, Ruth’s home run totals exploded—he hit 29 in 1919, then 54 in 1920 and established single‑season records that became legendary as he repeatedly raised the standard for power hitting. With the Yankees Ruth became the centerpiece of a dominant lineup and set numerous enduring records, including a then‑record 60 home runs in 1927 and season totals such as 177 runs scored and 457 total bases in 1921 that remain modern‑era benchmarks. Over his 22‑year Major League Baseball career he compiled a .342 batting average, a .474 on‑base percentage, a .690 slugging percentage, 714 home runs and numerous league‑leading seasons in home runs, slugging, and walks. Ruth’s persona and on‑field exploits made him one of the most famous athletes in the world; he helped popularize baseball nationally, starred in World Series play (winning seven World Series titles as a player), and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class in 1936. He retired after a final partial season with the Boston Braves in 1935 and died on August 16, 1948.