Babe Ruth Bio And Facts
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, or Babe Ruth, is a baseball player most famously known for being one of the most talented men to ever grace the MLB. Growing up in Baltimore, Maryland, Babe Ruth would go on to sign and play in the minor leagues for the Baltimore Orioles. He is mostly known for his time on the New York Yankees, where he won four World Series with the team.
In addition, Ruth is known for holding an incredible amount of records from RBIs to slugging percentage. He is known for having many nicknames, from “The Great Bambino” to the “Sultan of Swat.” His athleticism and talent are ultimately what made him become one of the first people to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and one of the most well-known athletes of all time.
- Birthday: February 8, 1895 (08-02-1895)
- Died: August 16, 1948 (16-08-1948)
- Net Worth: $800,000
- Occupation: Retired Professional Baseball Player
- Height: 6’2” (1.88 m)
- Weight: 215 lbs (97.52 kg)
- Position: Right Field
- Years Active: 1914-1935 (21 years)
- Career Wins: 94 wins
- Career Losses: 46 losses
- Nicknames: Babe, Bam, Sultan of Swat, The Caliph of Clout, The Great Bambino
- Teams: New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Boston Braves
Baseball Career
While Babe Ruth played baseball starting at a young age at St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, he would soon go on to be signed to a minor league team. He made his minor league debut at just 19 years old and grew to become one of the most well known baseball players of all time. Even though he started with the Boston Red Sox, Ruth was later traded to the New York Yankees. He eventually ended his career with the Boston Braves.
In his career, Babe Ruth broke an incredible amount of records, where he ended a 22-year baseball career with a batting average of .342 and 2,873 hits in total. Ruth is one of the most celebrated athletes of all time and still holds many records to this day. Over his 2,503 games, Ruth also hit 506 doubles, 136 triples, and 714 home runs. He ultimately retired with a batting average of .342 and slugging percentage of 0.690%.
Titles and Awards
Babe Ruth is known for having received many awards during his time in the MLB. He was MVP in 1923 and received the Jack Lang award in 1931. Eventually, Ruth became one of the first people to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. Years later after his death, he was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018.
In addition, Babe Ruth captured several American League and World Series titles. During his time on the Boston Red Sox, Ruth helped the team win three World Series titles. When he joined the New York Yankees, Ruth led the team to seven American League Championships and four World Series titles. Other achievements held by Ruth include leading the league in batting percentage, bases on balls, and on base percentage multiple times throughout his career.
Personal Life
As a teenager, Babe Ruth married his first wife, Helen Woodford, who was just 16 years old at the time. Soon after, they adopted a daughter named Dorothy. However, the two got divorced after Ruth was found to have cheated on and neglected Woodford multiple times throughout their marriage. Not long after she died, Babe Ruth would go on to marry actress Claire Hodgson, who also had a daughter named Julia.
Babe Ruth’s history of infidelity did not stop there, as he was notoriously known for living a lifestyle full of drinking and partying. The New York Yankees even asked him to dial down his personal life and choices. His drinking and other habits were dangerous to his health, and doctors along with the Yankees were scared it would interfere with his ability to play professional baseball.
Fun Facts
- Babe Ruth was first a very talented left-handed pitcher. Only later did he become an outfielder.
- His real name is George Herman Ruth.
- He won three World Series in his six years with the Boston Red Sox.
- For most of his young life, Babe Ruth was a troublemaker. His parents even sent him to a boarding school for orphans even though he himself was not an orphan.
- Ruth was one of the first players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- The nickname “Babe” came from the nickname “Dunn’s Babe,” because Ruth was a favorite of Jack Dunn, the owner of the Baltimore Orioles.
- Boston sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees for $125,000, the most amount of money at the time ever paid for a player.
FAQ
How much money was Babe Ruth sold to the Yankees for?
Babe Ruth was sold by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for about $125,000. While it was a lot of money for the time, the trade would soon become known as the “curse.” This is because after Boston had sold Ruth to the Yankees, the Red Sox failed to win a World Series title for 86 years. Although it is superstition, the “Curse of the Bambino” is popular and well known among many sports fans.
Did Babe Ruth only play for the New York Yankees?
Babe Ruth did not only play for the New York Yankees. During his minor league career, he was first signed to the Baltimore Orioles. It only took some time, however, for him to be sold to the Boston Red Sox, where he would make his first major league appearance. He then would be famously sold to the New York Yankees where he would spend over a decade with the team. At the end of his career, he played for the Boston Braves in his final year before retirement.
What is Babe Ruth’s real name?
Babe Ruth was born George Herman Ruth Jr. His name comes from his father. The name “Babe” along with his many other nicknames would come during his time in the minor leagues. Babe was a popular nickname given to ballplayers during Ruth’s time. However, he would receive his name by other ballplayers who referred to him as “Dunn’s Babe.” Jack Dunn was the club owner of the Baltimore Orioles, Ruth’s first minor league team.
What position did Babe Ruth play?
Babe Ruth was a pitcher early on in his career, but became known as an outfielder later in his career. Specifically, he pitched during his time at St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys and his first few seasons in the MLB. Many do not know that Babe Ruth was one of the greatest pitchers of the era, but lost the chance to be inducted in the Hall of Fame as a pitcher when he moved to the outfield position.