Babe ruth biography author

He was born and raised in Donora, PA, a town that has produced big league baseball players, including Stan Musial and the father-son Griffeys. They have two sons, Sean and Scott. Steward has covered the baseball world since and has interviewed and profiled many Hall of Famers, including Nolan Ryan, Bob Gibson, and Warren Spahn. On May 25,an overweight and greatly diminished Ruth reminded fans of his greatness one last time when hit three home runs in a single game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The following week, Ruth officially retired. He was one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in While he eventually earned the title of coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers inRuth never achieved his goal of managing a major league team. Known throughout his life as a generous man, he gave much of his time in his last years to charitable events instead.

On June 13,he made one last appearance at Yankee Stadium to celebrate the building's 25th anniversary. Sick with cancer, Ruth had become a shadow of his former, gregarious self. Two months later, on August 16,Ruth died, leaving much of his estate to the Babe Ruth Foundation for underprivileged children. He was survived by his second wife, Claire, and his daughters, Dorothy and Julia.

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Aaron Judge. Willie Mays. Deion Sanders. Jackie Robinson. Derek Jeter. Lou Gehrig. Yogi Berra. Early Career Mathias, along babe ruth biography author several other monks of the order, introduced Ruth to baseball, a game at which the boy excelled.

Major Leagues With its titles and "the Babe," Boston was clearly the class act of the major leagues. Retirement and Legacy Ruth's success on the field was matched by a lifestyle that catered perfectly to a pre-Depression America hungry for a fast lifestyle. Brother Matthias became one of the few figures in authority that George Jr looked up to and respected.

Ruth also later wryly commented:. Deeply impressed by the talent of George Jr, he signed him, after watching him for just one hour. At this stage in his career, Babe Ruth was known more for his prowess as a pitcher than a hitter. He reflected how he had a natural affinity for the game. Pitching just felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Striking out batters was easy. During this time, he also played in a rotation for a minor league team, the Providence Grays. InBabe Ruth became more prominent in hitting, and he was allowed to move up the batting order, which gave him more opportunity to display his capacity for hitting home runs. His stats and performance were very good from the start, and byhe was one of the regular star players in the Boston Red Sox lineup.

Inhe tied for the most number of home runs 11 and helped lead the Red Sox to the title. To avoid conscription during the First World War, until NovemberBabe Ruth had to accept a nominal position in a steel mill. It was a pivotal sale for both clubs. After considerable earlier success, the Boston Red Sox would not win another World Series until The New York Yankees would soon win their first titles.

He became the star of baseball, smashing records for home runs and batting averages. On May 16, Ruth and the Yankees drew 38, to the Polo Grounds, a record for the ballpark, and 15, fans were turned away. Large crowds jammed stadiums to see Ruth play when the Yankees were on the road. The home runs kept on coming. Ruth tied his own record of 29 on July 15 and broke it with home runs in both games of a doubleheader four days later.

By the end of July, he had 37, but his pace slackened somewhat after that. The pennant and the World Series were won by Cleveland, who surged ahead after the Black Sox Scandal broke on September 28 and led to the suspension of many of Chicago's top players, including Shoeless Joe Jackson. The Yankees finished third, but drew 1. The rest of the league soldmore tickets, many fans there to see Ruth, who led the league with 54 home runs, runsand runs batted in RBIs.

In and afterwards, Ruth was aided in his power hitting by the fact that A. Reach Company—the maker of baseballs used in the babe ruth biography author leagues—was using a more efficient machine to wind the yarn found within the baseball. The new baseballs went into play in and ushered the start of the live-ball era ; the number of home runs across the major leagues increased by over the previous year.

Nevertheless, James theorized that Ruth's explosion might have happened inhad a full season of games been played rather thanhad Ruth refrained from pitching innings that season, and if he were playing at any other home field but Fenway Park, where he hit only 9 of 29 home runs. Yankees business manager Harry Sparrow had died early in the season.

Ruppert and Huston hired Barrow to replace him. The outrageous life fascinated Hoyt, the don't-give-a-shit freedom of it, the nonstop, pell-mell charge into excess. How did a man drink so much and never get drunk? The puzzle of Babe Ruth never was dull, no matter how many times Hoyt picked up the pieces and stared at them. After games he would follow the crowd to the Babe's suite.

No matter what the town, the beer would be iced and the bottles would fill the bathtub. Ruth hit home runs early and often in the season, during which he broke Roger Connor 's mark for home runs in a career, Each of the almost home runs Ruth hit in his career after that extended his own record. After a slow start, the Yankees were soon locked in a tight pennant race with Cleveland, winners of the World Series.

On September 15, Ruth hit his 55th home run, breaking his year-old single-season record. In late September, the Yankees visited Cleveland and won three out of four games, giving them the upper hand in the race, and clinched their first pennant a few days later. Ruth finished the regular season with 59 home runs, batting. The Yankees won the first two games with Ruth in the lineup.

However, Ruth badly scraped his elbow during Game 2 when he slid into third base he had walked and stolen both second and third bases.

Babe ruth biography author

After the game, he was told by the team physician not to play the rest of the series. Despite his suspension, Ruth was named the Yankees' new on-field captain prior to the season. During the suspension, he worked out with the team in the morning and played exhibition games with the Yankees on their off days. Ban Johnson ordered him fined, suspended, and stripped of position as team captain.

Despite Ruth's off-year, the Yankees managed to win the pennant and faced the New York Giants in the World Series for the second consecutive year. In the Series, Giants manager John McGraw instructed his pitchers to throw him nothing but curveballs, and Ruth never adjusted. Ruth had just two hits in 17 at bats, and the Yankees lost to the Giants for the second straight year, by 4—0 with one tie game.

Sportswriter Joe Vila called him, "an exploded phenomenon". After the season, Ruth was a guest at an Elks Club banquet, set up by Ruth's agent with Yankee team support. There, each speaker, concluding with future New York mayor Jimmy Walkercensured him for his poor behavior. An emotional Ruth promised reform, and, to the surprise of many, followed through.

When he reported to spring training, he was in his best shape as a Yankee, weighing only pounds 95 kg. The Yankees' status as tenants of the Giants at the Polo Grounds had become increasingly uneasy, and inGiants owner Charles Stoneham said the Yankees' lease, expiring after that season, would not be renewed. Ruppert and Huston had long contemplated a new stadium, and had taken an option on property at st Street and River Avenue in the Bronx.

Yankee Stadium was completed in time for the home opener on April 18,[ ] at which Ruth hit the first home run in what was quickly dubbed "the House that Ruth Built". To spare Ruth's eyes, right field—his defensive position—was not pointed into the afternoon sun, as was traditional; left fielder Meusel soon developed headaches from squinting toward home plate.

During the season, the Yankees were never seriously challenged and won the AL pennant by 17 games. Ruth finished the season with a career-high. Ruth hit a career-high 45 doubles inand he reached base times, then a major league record. He batted. Inthe Yankees were favored to become the first team to win four consecutive pennants. Plagued by injuries, they found themselves in a battle with the Senators.

Although the Yankees won 18 of 22 at one point in September, the Senators beat out the Yankees by two games. Ruth did not look like an athlete; he was described as "toothpicks attached to a piano", with a big upper body but thin wrists and legs. His annual visit to Hot Springs, Arkansaswhere he exercised and took saunas early in the year, did him no good as he spent much of the time carousing in the resort town.

He became ill while there, and relapsed during spring training. Ruth collapsed in Asheville, North Carolinaas the team journeyed north. He was put on a train for New York, where he was briefly hospitalized. He was taken to a hospital where he had multiple convulsions. McGeehan wrote that Ruth's illness was due to binging on hot dogs and soda pop before a game, it became known as "the bellyache heard 'round the world".

Vincent's Hospital but was allowed to leave, under supervision, for workouts with the team for part of that time. He concludes that the hospitalization was behavior-related. The Yankees finished next to last in the AL with a 69—85 record, their last season with a losing record until Ruth spent part of the offseason of —26 working out at Artie McGovern 's gym, where he got back into shape.

Barrow and Huggins had rebuilt the team and surrounded the veteran core with good young players like Tony Lazzeri and Lou Gehrigbut the Yankees babe ruth biography author not expected to win the pennant. Ruth returned to his normal production duringwhen he batted. The St. Louis Cardinals had won the National League with the lowest winning percentage for a pennant winner to that point.

Louis took Games Two and Three. In Game Four, Ruth hit three home runs—the first time this had been done in a World Series game—to lead the Yankees to victory. In the fifth game, Ruth caught a ball as he crashed into the fence. The play was described by baseball writers as a defensive gem. Louis to tie the Series at three games each, then got very drunk.

He was nevertheless inserted into Game Seven in the seventh inning and shut down the Yankees to win the game, 3—2, and win the Series. Although Ruth's attempt to steal second is often deemed a baserunning blunder, Creamer pointed out that the Yankees' chances of tying the game would have been greatly improved with a runner in scoring position.

The World Series was also known for Ruth's promise to Johnny Sylvestera hospitalized year-old boy. Ruth promised the child that he would hit a home run on his behalf. Sylvester had been injured in a fall from a horse, and a friend of Sylvester's father gave the boy two autographed baseballs signed by Yankees and Cardinals. The friend relayed a promise from Ruth who did not know the boy that he would hit a home run for him.

After the Series, Ruth visited the boy in the hospital. When the matter became public, the press greatly inflated it, and by some accounts, Ruth allegedly saved the boy's life by visiting him, emotionally promising to hit a home run, and doing so. The New York Yankees team is considered one of the greatest squads to ever take the field.

Known as Murderers' Row because of the power of its lineup, [ ] the team clinched first place on Labor Day, won a then-AL-record games and took the AL pennant by 19 games. Ruth was not alone in this chase. Teammate Lou Gehrig proved to be a slugger who was capable of challenging Ruth for his home run crown; he tied Ruth with 24 home runs late in June.

Through July and August, the dynamic duo was never separated by more than two home runs. Gehrig took the lead, 45—44, in the first game of a doubleheader at Fenway Park early in September; Ruth responded with two blasts of his own to take the lead, as it proved permanently—Gehrig finished with Even so, as of September 6, Ruth was still several games off his pace, and going into the final series against the Senators, had only He hit two in the first game of the series, including one off of Paul Hopkinsfacing his first major league batter, to tie the record.

The following day, September 30, he broke it with his 60th homer, in the eighth inning off Tom Zachary to break a 2—2 tie. Let's see some son of a bitch try to top that one", Ruth exulted after the game. Even today, the words inspire awe The following season started off well for the Yankees, who led the league in the early going. But the Yankees were plagued by injuries, erratic pitching and inconsistent play.

The Philadelphia Athleticsrebuilding after some lean years, erased the Yankees' big lead and even took over first place briefly in early September. The Yankees, however, regained first place when they beat the Athletics three out of four games in a pivotal series at Yankee Stadium later that month, and clinched the pennant in the final weekend of the season.

He got off to a hot start and on August 1, he had 42 home runs. This put him ahead of his 60 babe ruth biography author run pace from the previous season. He then slumped for the latter part of the season, and he hit just twelve home runs in the last two months. Ruth's batting average also fell to. Nevertheless, he ended the season with 54 home runs.

Before the season, Ruppert who had bought out Huston in announced that the Yankees would wear uniform numbers to allow fans at cavernous Yankee Stadium to easily identify the players. The Cardinals and Indians had each experimented with uniform numbers; the Yankees were the first to use them on both home and away uniforms. Ruth batted third and was given number 3.

Although the Yankees started well, the Athletics soon proved they were the better team insplitting two series with the Yankees in the first month of the season, then taking advantage of a Yankee losing streak in mid-May to gain first place. Although Ruth performed well, the Yankees were not able to catch the Athletics—Connie Mack had built another great team.

Despite their past differences, Ruth praised Huggins and described him as a "great guy". A few seasons ago I used a 54 ounce bat, long and with the weight well at the end. Now I'm using a 46 ounce club--and each season when I have a new set of bats made, I have an additional ounce taken off. On October 17, the Yankees hired Bob Shawkey as manager; he was their fourth choice.

Stout deemed this the first hint Ruth would have no future with the Yankees once he retired as a player. On January 7,salary negotiations between the Yankees and Ruth quickly broke down. Besides, the President gets a four-year contract. I'm only asking for three. InRuth hit. McCarthy was a disciplinarian, but chose not to interfere with Ruth, who did not seek conflict with the manager.

He had 31 doubles, his most since The games at Yankee Stadium had not been sellouts; both were won by the home team, with Ruth collecting two singles, but scoring four runs as he was walked four times by the Cubs pitchers. In Chicago, Ruth was resentful at the hostile crowds that met the Yankees' train and jeered them at the hotel. Many in the crowd threw lemons at Ruth, a sign of derision, and others as well as the Cubs themselves shouted abuse at Ruth and other Yankees.

They were briefly silenced when Ruth hit a three-run home run off Charlie Root in the babe ruth biography author inning, but soon revived, and the Cubs tied the score at 4—4 in the fourth inning, partly due to Ruth's fielding error in the outfield. When Ruth came to the plate in the top of the fifth, the Chicago crowd and players, led by pitcher Guy Bushwere screaming insults at Ruth.

With the count at two balls and one strike, Ruth gestured, possibly in the direction of center fieldand after the next pitch a strikemay have pointed there with one hand. Ruth hit the fifth pitch over the center field fence; estimates were that it traveled nearly feet m. Whether or not Ruth intended to indicate where he planned to and did hit the ball Charlie Devenswho, inwas interviewed as Ruth's surviving teammate in that game, did not think sothe incident has gone down in legend as Babe Ruth's called shot.

Ruth remained productive in He hit the first home run in the All-Star Game's history, a two-run blast against Bill Hallahan during the third inning, which helped the AL win the game 4—2. InRuth played in his last full season with the Yankees. By this time, years of high living were starting to catch up with him. His conditioning had deteriorated to the point that he could no longer field or run.

By this time, Ruth knew he was nearly finished as a player. He desired to remain in baseball as a manager. He was often spoken of as a possible candidate as managerial jobs opened up, but inwhen he was mentioned as a contender for the Red Sox position, Ruth stated that he was not yet ready to leave the field. There were rumors that Ruth was a likely candidate each time when the Cleveland IndiansCincinnati Redsand Detroit Tigers were looking for a manager, but nothing came of them.

Just before the season, Ruppert offered to make Ruth the manager of the Yankees' top minor-league team, the Newark Bearsbut he was talked out of it by his wife, Claireand his business manager, Christy Walsh. However, Ruth insisted on delaying the meeting until he came back from a trip to Hawaii. Navin was unwilling to wait. Ruth opted to go on his trip, despite Barrow advising him that he was making a mistake; in any event, Ruth's asking price was too high for the notoriously tight-fisted Navin.

The Tigers' job ultimately went to Mickey Cochrane. Early in the season, Ruth openly campaigned to become the Yankees manager. However, the Yankee job was never a serious possibility. Ruppert always supported McCarthy, who would remain in his position for another 12 seasons. The relationship between Ruth and McCarthy had been lukewarm at best, and Ruth's managerial ambitions further chilled their interpersonal relations.

During the —35 offseason, Ruth circled the world with his wife; the trip included a barnstorming tour of the Far East. At his final stop in the United Kingdom before returning home, Ruth was introduced to cricket by Australian player Alan Fairfaxand after having little luck in a cricketer's stance, he stood as a baseball batter and launched some massive shots around the field, destroying the bat in the process.

However, the only serious offer came from Athletics owner-manager Connie Mack, who gave some thought to stepping down as manager in favor of Ruth. However, Mack later dropped the idea, saying that Ruth's wife would be running the team in a month if Ruth ever took over. While the barnstorming tour was underway, Ruppert began negotiating with Boston Braves owner Judge Emil Fuchswho wanted Ruth as a gate attraction.

The Braves had enjoyed modest recent success, finishing fourth in the National League in both andbut the team drew poorly at the box office. Unable to afford the rent at Braves FieldFuchs had considered holding dog races there when the Braves were not at home, only to be turned down by Landis. After a series of phone calls, letters, and meetings, the Yankees traded Ruth to the Braves on February 26, Ruppert had stated that he would not release Ruth to go to another team as a full-time player.

For this reason, it was announced that Ruth would become a team vice president and would be consulted on all club transactions, in addition to playing. He was also made assistant manager to Braves skipper Bill McKechnie. In a long letter to Ruth a few days before the press conference, Fuchs promised Ruth a share in the Braves' profits, with the possibility of becoming co-owner of the team.

Fuchs also raised the possibility of Ruth succeeding McKechnie as manager, perhaps as early as Ruppert called the deal "the greatest opportunity Ruth ever had". There was considerable attention as Ruth reported for spring training. He did not hit his first home run of the spring until after the team had left Florida, and was beginning the road north in Savannah.

He hit two in an exhibition game against the Bears. Before an opening-day crowd of over 25, including five of New England's six state governors, Ruth accounted for all the Braves' runs in a 4—2 win over the New York Giantshitting a two-run home run, singling to drive in a third run and later in the inning scoring the fourth. Although age and weight had slowed him, he made a running catch in left field that sportswriters deemed the defensive highlight of the game.

Ruth had two hits in the second game of the season, but it quickly went downhill both for him and the Braves from there. The season soon settled down to a routine of Ruth performing poorly on the few occasions he even played at all. As April passed into May, Ruth's physical deterioration became even more pronounced. While he remained productive at the plate early on, he could do little else.

His conditioning had become so poor that he could barely trot around the bases. He made so many errors that three Braves pitchers told McKechnie they would not take the mound if he was in the lineup. Before long, Ruth stopped hitting as well. He grew increasingly annoyed that McKechnie ignored most of his advice. McKechnie later said that Ruth's presence made enforcing discipline nearly impossible.

Ruth soon realized that Fuchs had deceived him, and had no intention of making him manager or giving him any significant off-field duties. He later said his only duties as vice president consisted of making public appearances and autographing tickets. By the end of the first month of the season, Ruth concluded he was finished even as a part-time player.

As early as May 12, he asked Fuchs to let him retire. In the interim was a western road trip, at which the rival teams had scheduled days to honor him. In Chicago and St. Louis, Ruth performed poorly, and his batting average sank to. In the first two games in Pittsburgh, Ruth had only one hit, though a long fly caught by Paul Waner probably would have been a home run in any other ballpark besides Forbes Field.

Ruth played in the third game of the Pittsburgh series on May 25,and added one more tale to his playing legend. Ruth went 4-for-4, including three home runs, though the Braves lost the game 11—7. The last two were off Ruth's old Cubs nemesis, Guy Bush. The final home run, both of the game and of Ruth's career, sailed out of the park over the right field upper deck—the first time anyone had hit a fair ball completely out of Forbes Field.

Ruth was urged to make this his last game, but he had given his word to Fuchs and played in Cincinnati and Philadelphia. The first game of the doubleheader in Philadelphia—the Braves lost both—was his final major league appearance. Ruth retired on June 2 after an argument with Fuchs. He finished with a. The Braves, 10—27 when Ruth left, finished 38—, at.

Although Fuchs had given Ruth his unconditional release, no major league team expressed an interest in hiring him in any capacity. Ruth still hoped to be hired as a manager if he could not play anymore, but only one managerial position, Cleveland, became available between Ruth's retirement and the end of the season. Asked if he had considered Ruth for the job, Indians owner Alva Bradley replied negatively.

The author believed there was not necessarily a relationship between personal conduct and managerial success, noting that John McGrawBilly Martinand Bobby Valentine were winners despite character flaws. Ruth played much golf and in a few exhibition baseball games, where he demonstrated a continuing ability to draw large crowds. This appeal contributed to the Dodgers hiring him as first base coach in When Ruth was hired, Brooklyn general manager Larry MacPhail made it clear that Ruth would not be considered for the manager's job if, as expected, Burleigh Grimes retired at the end of the season.

Although much was said about what Ruth could teach the younger players, in practice, his duties were to appear on the field in uniform and encourage base runners—he was not called upon to relay signs. In August, shortly before the baseball rosters expanded, Ruth sought an opportunity to return as an active player in a pinch hitting role. Ruth often took batting practice before games and felt that he could take on the limited role.

Grimes denied his request, citing Ruth's poor vision in his right eye, his inability to run the bases, and the risk of an injury to Ruth. Ruth got along well with everyone except team captain Leo Durocherwho was hired as Grimes' replacement at season's end. Ruth then left his job as a first base coach and would never again work in any capacity in the game of baseball.

On July 4,Ruth spoke on Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day at Yankee Stadium as members of the Yankees and a sellout crowd turned out to honor the first baseman, who was forced into premature retirement by ALSwhich would kill him two years later. Three years earlier, he was one of the first five players elected to the hall. As radio broadcasts of baseball games became popular, Ruth sought a job in that field, arguing that his celebrity and knowledge of baseball would assure large audiences, but he received no offers.

He hit a long fly ball off Walter Johnson; the blast left the field, curving foul, but Ruth circled the bases anyway.