Baseball's all-time best baseball player and personality had a respectable film career, starring mostly as himself or a character much like himself. He reportedly made more money starring in such 'B' films as Babe Comes Home than he did in baseball, although he was the highest paid player at the time.
Was the first Major League player to hit 60 home runs (1927) Started out his career as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He had back-to-back 20 win seasons and won a total of 94 career games Sold to New York for $100,000 Hit the famous "Called Shot" in the 1932 World Series in Chicago. Had two strikes on him when he allegedly pointed to center field and on the next pitch, smacked the ball in center field for a home run Led American League in home runs 12 times, runs eight times, RBIs six times and batting once Hit 714 career home runs His number 3 was retired by the New York Yankees Original member of the baseball Hall of Fame Honored with a monument in Yankee Stadium Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, 1936 (charter member). Played for the American League's Boston Red Sox (1914-1919) and New York Yankees (1920-1934), and for the National League's Boston Braves (1935). Born at 1:45pm-EST Enshrined in the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame, 1995 (charter member). Was lifted for a pinch hitter in the 1918 World Series. Spoke German fluently. Was once given an intentional walk with the bases loaded. His last home run was the first to clear the right field roof in Pittsburgh's Forbes Field. Always insisted he was born in 1894. Biggest ambition was to be a major league manager. Served as first base coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1938. Turned down an offer to manage the Yankees' AAA farm club in Newark. Threw and batted lefthanded, but wrote righthanded. Was actually separated from his first wife, Helen, during the last few years of their marriage. Did not seek a divorce because they were both Roman Catholic. Left the Yankees when the team would not name him manager. Accepted an offer by the Boston Braves to be right fielder, vice president, and assistant manager, the latter two of which were only on paper. Still holds the Yankee club record for the highest season batting average with his .393 effort in 1923. Became a full-time outfielder in 1919. Hit a total of 16 grand slam home runs during his career. Held the record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched in World Series play from 1918 until 1961, when Whitey Ford broke it. Could never remember his teammates' names; usually called everybody "kid". Acquired the nickname "Babe" after being referred to as one of Dunne's babes. Attended St. Mary's Industrial School in Baltimore, where he was introduced to the game of baseball by a Brother Matthias. Stayed there until he was signed by the Baltimore Orioles of the International League in 1914. Because he was still a minor at 19, his manager, Jack Dunne, became his guardian. Pictured on a 20¢ US commemorative postage stamp issued in his honor, 6 July 1983. Pictured on one of fifteen 32¢ US commemorative postage stamps in the "Celebrate the Century" series, issued 28 May 1998, celebrating the 1920s. His wife, Claire, was a cousin of Hall of Fame slugger Johnny Mize. Adopted a daughter, Dorothy, with first wife Helen in 1921. In her book, "My Dad, The Babe," Dorothy claimed she was his biological child, the product of an affair between Ruth and a long-time family friend. He was considered the best lefthander in the American League during his brief time pitching. Named the number two athlete of the 20th century in an ESPN poll. [1999] Claimed once that had he hit for average instead of power, he would have batted .600 for his career. Wound up with a lifetime batting average of .342. New York Yankees All-Time Runs Leader (1,959). New York Yankees All-Time Homerun Leader (659). New York Yankees All-Time Total Bases Leader (5,131). New York Yankees All-Time Walks Leader (1,852). New York Yankees All-Time On Base Percentage Leader (.479). New York Yankees All-Time Slugging Percentage Leader (.711). New York Yankees All-Time Batting Average Leader (.349). Throughout his life, Ruth thought he was born February 5, 1894. After he retired, when he applied for a passport and was required to show his birth certificate, he was discovered on the certificate he had actually been born February 6, 1895. While February 6 was his actual birthday, he celebrated February 5 throughout the rest of his life. His father owned a saloon in downtown Baltimore. The saloon and the buildings around it were later torn down and, the site now occupies center field of the Baltimore Orioles' stadium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards. A Sports Illustrated writer, musing from Yankee Stadium's nickname "The House That Ruth Built", jokingly referred to Camden Yards as "The House That Ruth Haunts." Though he threw, batted and ate left-handed, he wrote right-handed. He was asked about this once and said that in the Catholic school where he was raised, he originally wrote left-handed as a child but was forced by his teacher to write right-handed. This was common back then; other left-handed baseball stars, such as Lou Gehrig and Stan Musial, wrote right-handed. four children, Dorothy, George, Helen, and Margaret. Adopted an infant daughter, Julia Ruth, in 1917. Wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep himself cool. Though he was photographed shaking the hand of President Herbert Hoover at a game, the Babe was no fan of his. When asked in 1930, the first year of the Great Depression, about his salary of $80,000 a year being more than that of the President (who earned $75,000), the Babe replied, "I know, but I had a better year than Hoover." The Babe actively campaigned for Hoover's Democratic rival for the presidency, Al Smith, in 1928. The hard-drinking Babe called Smith, who was for the repeal of Prohibition, "His" candidate.