When you think of “home runs” first thing that comes to my mind is Babe Ruth. That’s what Babe Ruth is usually for hitting home runs. But Babe Ruth also has many other accomplishments that he did in his life. There are many things that happened off the field that many people might not know about. Babe Ruth brought spot light to the sport of baseball when it was a unknown sport. Babe Ruth’s Real name was real name was George Herman Ruth, Jr.
His family was very dysfunctional and he ended up going to an all boys school (Schwartz 1).
There his amazing baseball skills where recognized. His mentor told him to focus his energies on something productive. So he joined the baseball team and from there he went on and played into Saint Mary’s school for boys (Schwartz 3).
He was sign at the age of 19 to the Baltimore Orioles he recognized his young talent and signed him (Schwartz 2).
That is where he got the named babe, his other team members would always call him ” jacks newest babe.” That’s where he got Babe Ruth.
After being with that team for about 5 months the so’s bought his contract. He would be playing on that team for about the next 6 years. Babe was a all-round good pitcher and a especially good batter. That’s what he is best known for hitting so many home runs and for sometimes winning the game for the team. After being with the so’s for about six year his contract was bought by the Yankees. They knew that they were getting a very valuable player.
There was a myth that went around the because they bought his contract that the ” curse of bambino” would not let them win. The curse haunted the Yankees until 2004 where they won the world series. The Yankee’s on the other hand were very happy to have the Babe Ruth on there team. But Babe Ruth also was known for the things that he did off the field. He decided to marry a 17 year old waitress and also had enough money to buy a very nice house for the both of them (Schwartz 3).
The also adopted a daughter and raised her in there brand new home.
Ruth could not handle a marriage and his fame in baseball, so the marriage ended. Even though they separated they remained married because of there beliefs (Schwartz 3).
His wife eventually died in a house fire, leaving him with his daughter. A couple of years later he married a actress/ model. The most famous moment in baseball history, was during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. In 5 th inning, after he had already hit one homer, Babe came up to bat.
He ran the count to two balls and two strikes (Schwartz 2).
Before Cubs pitcher Charlie Root hurled the next pitch, amid the heckling of Cubs fans, Babe pointed to the center field bleachers. Then he slammed what is believed to be the longest home run ever hit out of Wrigley Field, right above where he pointed (Schwartz 2).
Babe Ruth was so popular that even the USA’s enemies new him (Schwartz 2).
This is the man who made baseball the national pastime, the kid who started out looking like a Hall of Fame left-handed pitcher with the Boston Red Sox who became a Hall of Fame left-handed hitting outfielder with the New York Yankees. He might of not been the fittest player but he made his presence known on the field and everywhere he went.
He was a walking legend and he didn’t even know it. In 1946, Babe was diagnosed with throat cancer and spent three months in the hospital. The operations messed up his voice. It caused him to lose 80 pounds, and made him nearly unable to move.
In April 27 was declared Babe Ruth Day for every organized baseball league in the U. S. and Japan. Babe’s health continued to decline and on June 13, 1948 he made his last appearance at the stadium where his legend was born.
On the 25 th anniversary of the opening of Yankee Stadium the Yankees honored the player that made them the most recognizable team in the world by retiring his number 3 (Schwartz 4).
This would be the last time the Babe was ever seen in the famous pinstripes (Schwartz 4).