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."

The Greatest Season Ever

As historic as Ruth's 1920 season was, his 1921 season was even better. In fact, Ruth's 1921 season is statistically the greatest season by any batter in major league history. This season merits a mention of most of his numbers, with how some of them rank all-time for a single-season. In 152 games, Ruth batted .378, had 204 hits, 44 doubles, 16 triples, 59 home runs (8th all-time), scored 177 runs (2nd all-time), had 171 RBI's (7th all-time), 144 bases on balls, with 119 extra base hits (1st all-time), an .846 slugging average (3rd all-time), and amassed 457 total bases (1st all-time).

Related Topics:
1920 - 1921 - Hits - Double - Triple - Home run - Runs - RBI - Bases on balls - Extra base hits - Slugging average - Total bases

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Even some of the best present day baseball statistical reseachers, using advanced statistical methods to measure a player's value, show Ruth's season is unmatched. The Stats Major League Baseball Handbook, a massive baseball encyclopedic work, compiled by noted baseball researchers Bill James, Neil Munro, Don Zminda, and John Dewan, developed a runs created formula to value how many runs a player produces. Using their formula, the 208 runs created by Ruth in 1921 is the highest total for any player in any season.

Related Topics:
Bill James - Runs created

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Ruth's season was monumental, but the Yankees had many quality players who helped lead the Yankees to their first ever pennant. Bob Meusel, Frank Baker, and Wally Pipp were part of a lineup that batted .300 and scored 948 runs. The pitching was led by Carl Mays, who won 27 games, with fine seasons by Waite Hoyt and Bob Shawkey.

Related Topics:
Bob Meusel - Frank Baker - Wally Pipp - Carl Mays - Waite Hoyt - Bob Shawkey

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The Yankees met the New York Giants in the World Series, managed by John McGraw. The Giants excelled at McGraw's time-tested strategy of use of the hit-and-run, stolen base, and bunt, and despite hitting only 75 home runs, they led the N.L. in runs scored. Their star was slick-fielding Frankie Frisch, who batted .341 and led the league in stolen bases with 49. The everyday lineup included solid players such as George Kelly, Ross Youngs, and Dave Bancroft.

Related Topics:
New York Giants - World Series - John McGraw - 75 - Frankie Frisch - George Kelly - Ross Youngs - Dave Bancroft

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The Yankees were up 3-2 in the series, but Ruth had badly scraped his elbow in game 2 when sliding into third. He continued to play, but his arm eventually became swollen and infected, and was told by the team physician not to play the rest of the series (although he would pinch hit in game 8). Without Ruth, the Yankees seemed mentally beaten, and they lost the last 3 games of the series. Ruth had a respectable series, going 5-16, a .316 average, drove in 5 runs and hit his first World Series home run, but he struck out 8 times. The Giants had measure of revenge on the Yankees, who were also using the Polo Grounds as its home and had further embarrassed the Giants by outdrawing them.

Related Topics:
Elbow - Arm - Physician - Polo Grounds

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It was during 1921 that Ruth was invited to Columbia University for a battery of tests. The findings were illuminating. Doctors discovered that the pitch he could hit hardest was just above the knees, on the outside corner. And when he hit perfectly, in still air, with the bat moving at 110 ft/s (34 m/s), the ball would carry 450 to 500 feet (140 to 150 m). In a clinical test of steadiness, by inserting a charged rod successively into small holes of different sizes, Ruth proved to be the best of 500 volunteers. His eyes responded to flashing bulbs in a darkened chamber 20 ms quicker than the average person—very valuable for picking up a ball as it left a pitcher's hand. Science corroborated what baseball fans already knew: Babe Ruth was born with seemingly preternatural gifts. As some have written, perhaps teammate Joe Dugan put it best: "Born? Hell, Babe Ruth wasn't born! The son of a bitch fell from a tree!"

Related Topics:
1921 - Columbia University - Joe Dugan

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