Babe Ruth

George Herman Ruth. Baseball player and US national icon.

Born February 6, 1895, Baltimore?, Maryland, US

Died August 16, 1948, New York City

Gravesite: Gate Of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, New York City

Ruth began his professional baseball career as a pitcher. He was discovered by Jack Dunn, owner and manager of the minor-league Baltimore Orioles, who sold his contract to the Boston Red Sox in 1914. Ruth, a left-handed pitcher known as "Dunn's Babe" with Baltimore, became one of the premier pitchers in the American League in short order.

However, it soon became apparent that Ruth was more valuable in the lineup as an everyday player. In 1918, Ruth began playing in the outfield more and pitching less. His contemporaries thought this was ridiculous: former teammate [Tris Speaker]? thought the move would shorten Ruth's career. By 1919, Ruth was basically a fulltime outfielder. He set his first single-season home run record that year, smacking 29 with the Red Sox, breaking the previous record.

• 1920 - sold to Yankees
• 1920-23 - amazing seasons
• 1925 - "the bellyache heard round the world"
• 1926 - return to peak
• 1927 - 60 home runs; "Murderer's Row"
• 1932 - the "called shot"?
• 1935 - final bow with Boston Braves
• post-playing career
• film career

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Career Statistics: Hitting

G	AB	H	2b	3b	HR	R	RBI	BB	SO
2,503	8,399	2,873	506	136	714	2,174	2,213	2,062	1,330

Pitching

W	L	GP	GS	CG	Sh	SV	IP	BB	SO
94	46	163	148	107	17	4	1,221.1	441	488