Babe Ruth

George Herman Ruth, (b. February 6, 1895, d. August 16, 1948), better known as Babe Ruth, also commonly known by the nicknames The Bambino and The Sultan of Swat, was an American baseball player and United States national icon. He was one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and he was the first player to hit over 30, 40 and 50 home runs in one season. His record of 60 home runs in the 1927 season stood for 34 years until it was broken by Roger Maris in 1961. He also was a member of the original American League All-Star team in 1933. In 1998, The Sporting News named Ruth as Number One in its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players."

Ruth the Yankee

Almost immediately, Ruth began to pay off on his investment. He trained extensively over the winter, and in 1920 turned up at spring training physcially fit. When the season started, it was clear that the more hitter-friendly Polo Grounds suited him, and Ruth's 1920 season turned into one that no one had ever come close to seeing before. He hit 54 home runs, smashing his year-old record, batted .376, and led the league in runs (158), RBI's (137), bases on balls (148), and his slugging average of .847 was a major league record for over 80 years (Barry Bonds eclipsed it with a .863 mark in 2001). Ruth's season was so dominating it led to one of the most amazing statistics in baseball history. In 1920, Ruth out-homered all but one team in baseball, as only the Philadelphia Phillies with 64 hit more home runs than Ruth.

Related Topics:
Winter - Polo Grounds - 1920 - 54 - Home run - Runs - RBI - Bases on balls - Slugging average - Barry Bonds - 2001 - Philadelphia Phillies - 64

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Ruth's remarkable season had the Yankees in a serious pennant chase for the first time since 1904 (the year a famous wild pitch by Jack Chesbro cost them the pennant). The Yankees battled the entire season with the Cleveland Indians, player-managed by Tris Speaker, Ruth's old Red Sox teammate, and the Chicago White Sox, the same infamous "Black Sox scandal" team, but in the end, the Indians won the pennant and eventually the World Series.

Related Topics:
1904 - Wild pitch - Jack Chesbro - Cleveland Indians - Tris Speaker - Chicago White Sox - Black Sox scandal

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Ruth was a natural fit in New York City--the biggest star in the game needed the largest stage, the largest crowds, the largest media coverage. His flamboyance, vitality, and obvious flaws symbolized New York--the commercial and cultural heartbeat of the country that nevertheless could never hide its innumerable eyesores. His persona transcended baseball, and he was one of the enduring emblems in the carefree spirit of the roaring 20's. The large immigrant communities of New York City were drawn to him, and the Italian enclave of New York gave him the nickname bambino ("babe", "baby"). Even the black community adopted him as one of their own, as a reported story (that was untrue) was that Ruth had a "secret" black heritage, a story propagated with pride among players in the Negro Leagues. To some people, Ruth was more than a baseball player, he was a national icon. He became the dominant name in the storied New York Yankees franchise, whose winning tradition he inaugurated. As a few people in history seemed to be an exact fit in place and time, such the case was with Babe Ruth going to New York in 1920.

Related Topics:
New York City - Media - Roaring 20's - Immigrant - Italian - Enclave - Black - Negro Leagues - Icon - New York Yankees - 1920

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