Before: Babe Ruth was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed “The Bambino” and “The Sultan of Swat”, he began his MLB career as a stellar left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees.
After: Babe Ruth is considered one of the best players ever to play baseball because he revolutionized the game by using new techniques such as batting with his entire body instead of just with his arms and hands. He also created many firsts like setting records that will never be broken like hitting 60 home runs in one season and 714 career home runs.
He started playing baseball when he was just a kid at the age of 19, Babe Ruth was a baseball player.
In 1914, he joined the New York Yankees and helped them win 4 World Series in 5 years. He also helped the Boston Red Sox win two World Series.
Ruth had a terrific season in 1919 where he hit .376 with 29 home runs and 114 RBIs for just 154 games because of the short season caused by the war. That year his team set what was then a record of 116 wins and just 44 losses, including 2 ties – a feat that has never been matched.
What did baseball legend babe ruth keep on his head, under his baseball cap?
Babe Ruth would take leaves of cabbage and lay them out over the ice box until they were nice and cold, then lay it over his head while wearing his hat.
Babe Ruth retired from baseball in 1935. He became a coach for the Boston Red Sox until 1948. He started coaching because he wanted to teach young players how to be successful in life just like he was. Babe Ruth coached his teammates Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky, Dominic DiMaggio, and Ted Williams among others.
After that time period, he continued to remain involved with Major League Baseball by becoming an unofficial ambassador of the game until his death on August 16th, 1948.
His famous quotes
Babe Ruth: “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.”
Babe Ruth: “I swing hard, and I swing early. I get my head out and I get my body into it and I lean into it (the ball) and I send a little message.”
Babe Ruth: “It isn’t hard to hit with men on base. You’ve got to let them hit you!”
“Keep working on changing your behaviors to see if there are any changes in your procrastination.”
The “Curse of the Bambino”.
The Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the newly founded New York Yankees for $125,000 in 1920. John Updike’s book “The Curse of the Bambino” (2003) is about this.
Ruth had set the record for most home runs in one season with 60, but he faced tough opposition from pitchers like Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson.
He had many offers to play in other cities because of his good performance, but was too loyal to leave Boston. He left when he was traded to the Yankees in 1920.
John Updike finished his book by saying, “Never again would he be honored with that most esteeming.
Conclusion
Babe Ruth is considered one of the best players ever to play baseball because he revolutionized the game by using new techniques such as batting with his entire body instead of just with his arms and hands. He also created many firsts like setting records that will never be broken.
