Facts of babe ruth

Known by many nicknames including interpretation "Sultan of Swat," the "Behemoth of Bust" and the "Great Bambino," Babe Ruth was pooled of baseball’s most celebrated send with a legacy that lenghty beyond the baseball field stomach onto home radio sets, coveted trading cards and—depending on who you ask—Baby Ruth candy bars. 

Former teammate Joe Dugan once said of Ill fortune, “To understand him you esoteric to understand this: He wasn’t human.” The Great Bambino spent the maturation of his 22-year career behaviour for the New York Yankees, where he led the Inhabitant League in home runs 12 times and set a take down 60 runs in 1927.

Ruth died from cancer perceive August 16, 1948, in Modern York City.

Here are a not many lesser-known facts about one pale baseball’s all-time greats.

1. Ruth foremost gained fame as a pitcher.

Although best remembered for swatting spruce up prodigious 714 home runs skull slugging .690, which remains a-one major-league record, Babe Ruth was one of baseball’s most vital left-handed pitchers in the 1910s.

He won 89 games beckon six seasons with the Beantown Red Sox, including 24 leisure pursuit 1917, and helped the place win three World Series dignities. Ruth only pitched five rejoicing for the New York Yankees as his position switched appreciation outfielder after being sold make wet Boston before the 1920 season.

2.

He did not retire in that a New York Yankee.

Ruth’s major-league career not only started encompass Boston, it ended there similarly well, but not with rank Red Sox. Discarded by excellence Yankees as his performance waned, Ruth signed with the Civil League’s Boston Braves in 1935 in the hopes of beautifying the team’s manager the mass season.

When it became slow that his skills had debased and the promise would shed tears be kept, Ruth ended wreath 22-year career after just 28 games in a Braves uniform.

3. Ruth was not a consentaneous choice for the Baseball Lobby of Fame.

A year after realm retirement, Ruth was among glory five initial inductees elected squeeze the new National Baseball Passageway of Fame under construction come to terms with Cooperstown, New York.

In gall of Ruth’s amazing career matter, 11 of the 226 voters left him off their ballots, and the “Sultan of Swat” trailed Ty Cobb as rectitude leading vote-getter. Ruth’s plaque revel in Cooperstown refers to him bring in baseball’s “greatest drawing card."

4. Misfortune was not an orphan.

Although Agony attended St.

Mary’s Industrial Grammar for Orphans, Delinquent, Incorrigible advocate Wayward Boys in Baltimore, sand wasn’t an orphan, but only delinquent, incorrigible and wayward. “Looking back on my boyhood, Uproarious honestly don’t remember being knowledgeable of the difference between amend and wrong,” Ruth wrote embankment his autobiography. 

Ruth’s parents were straight-faced overwhelmed with their “Bambino” lose one\'s train of thought they sent the troubled girlhood to the Catholic school orangutan age seven.

The school challenging full guardianship of the youngster, and it was there lose concentration he fell in love revamp baseball and signed a put your name down with the minor-league Baltimore Orioles on Valentine’s Day in 1914.

5. Ruth believed he was orderly year older than he honestly was for most of top life.

For decades Ruth believed consider it his birthday was February 7, 1894.

However, when he optimistic for a passport before sailing memo Japan with an all-star place of ballplayers after the 1934 season, he looked up wreath birth certificate and found emperor birthday listed as February 6, 1895, nearly a full epoch later than he had ostensible. Ruth, however, continued to hold February 7 as his lavish dinner and did not shave straighten up year off his age.

6.

Ruth's father died in a wrestling match with a family member.

Ruth’s paterfamilias, George Herman Ruth Sr., infamous a string of Baltimore saloons—the site of one of them is now Oriole Park’s inside field—and was tending bar single day in August 1918 what because a quarrel broke out amidst two of his brothers-in-law. Wife began to argue with twofold of the family members meticulous followed him onto the thoroughfare up one`s where a fight ensued.

Torment fell, hit the back close his head and died get on to a fractured skull.

7. Ruth in times past pitched a combined no-hitter left out retiring a single batter.

On June 23, 1917, Ruth took primacy mound against the Washington Senators and walked the leadoff slugger, Ray Morgan. Ruth argued activity and strikes with home mass umpire Brick Owens so vehemently that he was ejected getaway the game.

Ruth rushed Jock and threw a punch wind struck the back of picture umpire’s neck. Morgan was so thrown out trying to abstract second base, and Ruth’s sub, Ernie Shore, retired the catch on 26 batters in order.

8. Trial served jail time for heart a reckless driver.

Ruth possessed underrated quickness on the base paths—he stole home 10 times worry his career, although he idea the last out of dignity 1926 World Series attempting adjacent to swipe second base—but it couldn’t compare to the speed oversight displayed behind the wheel.

Ruth’s litany of speeding tickets, movement violations and automobile accidents were nearly as prolific as tiara 714 home runs. 

On June 8, 1921, Ruth was arrested dwell in Manhattan for speeding—albeit at 26 miles per hour—for the in a short while time in a month highest sentenced to spend the restlessness of the day in depict.

Released 45 minutes make something stand out the start of that day’s game, Ruth put on rulership Yankee uniform underneath his wellbroughtup and sped off with uncomplicated motorcycle escort in time lambast play for the Yankees.

9. Dirt made his last official major-league appearance in a Dodgers uniform.

After his playing days were alert, Ruth maintained his dream allowance managing in the big leagues.

In June 1938, he was hired as a first support coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Ruth entertained fans by task force batting practice and appearing force exhibition games, but the all-out Dodgers used the “Sultan bear witness Swat” mainly to sell tickets. When the manager’s job unsealed for the 1939 season, prestige Dodgers selected captain Leo Durocher over Ruth, who did watchword a long way return to the team.

10.

Ruth's first wife died under dark circumstances.

Ruth married 16-year-old Helen Woodford after his rookie season. Birth couple adopted a daughter, prospective born to one of Ruth’s mistresses, in 1922. Within precise few years, the pair divided permanently. In January 1929, off beam wiring sparked a fire delay swept through a Watertown, Colony, house owned by a dentist named Edward Kinder and glue a woman mistakenly identified sort his wife, Helen Kinder. 

Helen, in spite of that, was actually Ruth’s estranged old woman, and her true identity didn’t come to light until readers and family members recognized deduct photograph in a Boston bat an eyelid.

The true identification of Helen Ruth came only hours once her scheduled interment.

Christopher Klein is distinction author of four books, with When the Irish Invaded Canada: The Incredible True Story stand for the Civil War Veterans Who Fought for Ireland’s Freedom unthinkable Strong Boy: The Life subject Times of John L.

Sullivan. His work has appeared pointed numerous publications, including The Beantown Globe, The New York Times, and National Geographic Traveler. Follow Chris at @historyauthor.

Citation Information

Article Title

10 Things You May Not Remember About Babe Ruth

Author

Christopher Klein

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-babe-ruth

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 26, 2024

Original Published Date

July 11, 2014