Biography

In World War II, when American soldiers shouted "To hell with the Emperor!" at their Japanese counterparts, the Japanese roared back, "To hell with Babe Ruth!" His was one of the most recognizable names and faces in American history. In the 1920s he made more headlines than anyone except the president of the United States. This was George Herman 'Babe' Ruth, the most celebrated baseball player of the 20th century.

George Herman Ruth, Jr was born on February 6, 1895 in Baltimore in Maryland. George was the first among the eight children to Kate and George Herman Ruth, Sr and also the one among the two who survived to maturity, his sister Mamie being the other. He was lovingly called Little George; he lived above the family saloon and grew up in a poor waterfront neighborhood in Baltimore.[br /]
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[b]Unfortunate Childhood[/b]
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George Herman Ruth, Sr worked as a bartender and later opened his own tavern. George was deprived of his parents' love and attention, as both of them always kept busy with their lives. This resulted in a wayward childhood for the first seven years of his life. They lived in the same house, but he grew up without any guidance or care on the streets of the Baltimore riverfront. This fact gave birth to the popular belief that George was an orphan.[br /]
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[b]The Orphanage[/b][br /]
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In 1902, his parents realized that they could not look after their son. On June 13, 1902, George Herman Ruth, Sr took George to St Mary's Industrial School for Boys. Not only that, he also signed over custody of the boy to the Xaverian Brothers, a Catholic Order of Jesuit Missionaries who ran St Mary's. It was both a reformatory and an orphanage. This also could be the reason behind the belief that George was an orphan.

George, Jr, was classified as 'incorrigible' at the time of his admission, as the unruly child was already involved in mischievous rows. The reformatory was built for such children. A high wall, with guards on duty surrounded St Mary's. George was one of the 800 children and lived in a dormitory shared by other 199 boys. George was a lonely child there. Sometimes, he returned to live with his family, but he was always sent back. Neither did his family ever came to visit him while he was there. His mother died when he was 15. He remained a part of St Mary's until he could be on his own. His last trip home was in 1912.[br /]
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[b]Finding the Missing Element[/b][br /]
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But he was fortunate enough to find refuge in the shadow of Brother Matthias, the main disciplinarian at St Mary's. He was the most positive influence on George's life. Especially after his emotionally wracked childhood, Brother Matthias' influence and guidance made a great difference in his life. For the first time he could get the emotional support and nurture that any child needs. Brother Matthias spent a great deal of time with George, providing the guidance and support that the youth never received from his parents. He taught him to read and write. He even helped him develop as a baseball player. The alliance of

this mentor and his ward made George love children in his later life. This influence of Brother Matthias and his problematic childhood could be the reason behind his sympathy and love for kids, especially those in need and why he went out of the way to help them.[br /]
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[b]The Early Years[/b][br /]
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The world should be grateful to Brother Matthias, for the gifted player because it was he who inspired George and prepared him to play baseball. The 'Sultan of Swat', as he came to be known later, was first interested in athletics, but Brother Matthias taught George how to play baseball.

Once he was watching a few boys play baseball. The mischievous George started teasing a boy whose attempts to the pitch had failed. Brother Matthias was also present on the ground. Looking at the game going off the field, he brought George to the ground to see if he could really do better. George had never been to the pitch or held a bat in his entire life. But with the inborn talent for the sport he amazed his mentor.

George was a natural hitter from the first time he held a bat. The only thing that was required for him was hours and hours of practice to make this natural talent shine like gold. He showed the signs of a promising baseball hero. Very soon he demonstrated a sidearm throwing style that many observers compared to star pitcher Walter Johnson who was with the Washington Senators. George was left-handed and it turned out to be very difficult for him to throw out runners stealing second base. Finally, he became a catcher for the St Mary's team and also played the first base, the second base, and the third base when it was required of him to do so.[br /]
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[b]The 'Babe' [/b][br /]
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Brother Gilbert, another inmate at St Mary's, knew Jack Dunn, the then manager of minor league Baltimore Orioles, and talked to him about this talented player. Later, George's tough and strong southpaw pitching caught the eye of Jack Dunn. George had just completed his 19th birthday and was first signed by the Orioles for his first professional baseball contract. Being the youngest member of the team he got the nickname 'Babe' that suited him the best. George's professional career began in 1914 as a pitcher; he was with the Baltimore minor league team. Jack Dunn became his guardian. The name 'Babe' was also a small reference to 'Dunn's baby'.

Ruth then had hit a home run into a cornfield well beyond the right field barrier. The newspaper the next day read the headlines as 'Ruth Makes Mighty Clout'. Ruth was then sold off in the same season to Boston Red Sox of the American League. It was then that he set a record and was proud of it the most. He pitched 29 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings but later Edward 'Whitey' Ford broke it in 1961. Ruth, had won 96 big league games and had lost only 46, Ruth was considered the best left-handed pitcher in the American League. By 1918, because of his powerful hitting he began to play the outfield in order to bat in every game. The New York Yankees, by 1920 purchased Ruth from the Boson Red Sox. The deal was for a sum of $125,000 and there too he played as an outfielder with that club through 1934.
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[b]'The House That Ruth Built'[/b][br /]
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The New York Yankee owner Colonel Jacob Ruppert had never seen a victory for his team. It was said that New York Yankees had never won a pennant till Ruth had joined their team. The New York Yankees had been playing in the shadow of the New York Giants. There was not even a baseball park for the New York Yankees that they could call their own and thus the New York Yankees were forced to play the games on the New York Giants' Polo Grounds. Ruth started off as a full time outfielder. He hit 54 home runs in his first year with the New York Yankees. New York had to build a new stadium for the increasing number of crowd that used to come just to see how Ruth played, it was also a tribute to the baseball's superb player. The Yankee Stadium opened on April 4, 1923 packed with 74,000 fans of Ruth and baseball just to see the legendary player in action. Soon the stadium became more popular as 'The House That Ruth Built'. The period came to be known as the Golden Age of Baseball. On the opening day of the Stadium, Ruth made the first home run in Yankee Stadium history.[br /]
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[b]Pranks and Punishment[/b][br /]
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The mischievous boy within Babe used to peep out sometime. Babe played a practical joke on his manager, Miller Huggins. While traveling together, Babe hanged him out of the window of a speeding train ! The manager could hardly manage his breath when recovered from the clutches of the mighty giant.

In 1925, Miller Huggins had his part to play. That year Ruth had taken a trip to Arkansas and had enjoyed himself for weeks, taking baths and exercising during the day, but burning the candle all night. He collapsed several times on his way to the training camp, and over there he had to undergo an operation for an intestinal abscess. For seven weeks Ruth was confined to hospital bed and did not play in a game. The Yankees finished in 7th place that year, a remarkably low performance for the superheroes.

After Ruth's return, Miller Huggins took action against him and his partying. He suspended him and imposed a fine of $5,000. Ruth had to apologize to be reinstated. This enraged Ruth, "They don't fine bootleggers $5,000, and men get out of murder charges for less." He refused and even tried to remove Huggins from his position, but management backed Huggins.

Besides, Ruth was punished several times with suspension from the team for going against the management for his off the ground activities.[br /]
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[b]The Records He Made[/b][br /]
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Six feet and two inches stood the legendary player who was called 'Babe Ruth' and weighed 215 pounds (98 Kg). Ruth soon broke the major league home-run record in just three consecutive years between 1919-1921 and the second time he broke the record in 154-game season in 1927 and there he hit 60 home runs. For 12 years, Ruth led the American League in home runs; he hit 50 in four separate seasons and at least 40 in each of 11 seasons. Ruth had played in about 22 major league seasons and in them hit a dazzling total of 714 home runs. It remained as a major league record for decades to come and a challenge for many great players to come but none could reach his mark. It was only in 1974 when Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run that this record was broken. The other lifetime records that were set by this legendary hero of baseball were 2,056 bases on balls and 2,211 runs batted in. In 10 World Series (41 games) he batted .326 and hit 15 home runs. .342 was his lifetime average.[br /]
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[b]Personal Life[/b][br /]
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During his Red Sox days Ruth used to frequent Landers' Coffee Shop in Boston in the mornings, where he met Helen Woodford, a 17-year-old waitress. Within three months of their acquaintance they got married on October 17, 1914 at St Paul's Roman Catholic Church in Ellicott City, Maryland. They moved to New York and took up residence in Ansonia Hotel on Broadway.

Helen was not used to the fame and notoriety that her husband had suddenly sprung to. She was shy and reserved and did not enjoy the constant attention that they received wherever he went. She preferred staying at their 200 acres farm outside of Boston. In 1921, the couple adopted a baby girl, Dorothy. The little girl could not enjoy the blessing of her parents for long. Helen died of suffocation in a fire accident but by then they had separated for three years.

In New York Babe met Claire Hodgson, a widow. She had a daughter named Julia and she belonged to Georgia. She used to work as a model and actress in New York. The acquaintance resulted in wedlock on April 17, 1929 in St Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church, New York. The ceremony took place at 5 am to avoid a large crowd. But to no avail ! The church was full and there were more than 6,000 people on the streets.

The next day was the Opening Day Game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, Babe hit a home run in his first at bat, as a wedding present to Claire. Next year, Babe formally adopted Julia, while Claire adopted Dorothy. The family picture was complete again.[br /]
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[b]Ruth - The Man[/b][br /]
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Ruth's lavish lifestyle suited that of a celebrity or a star. He led an extravagant lifestyle. He purchased a new Packard in Boston for cash. While driving to New York he met with an accident. Fortunately, he was unscathed but the car was badly damaged. He then walked down to the next town, bought another Packard and drove it home.

No doubt, Ruth was a superhero of baseball, but he was interested in many other sports and games, like hunting, fishing, boxing, bowling, and of course playing golf. He loved playing on green plains and played whenever he could. After his retirement from baseball, it was golf that kept him occupied.

Ruth always contributed generously for the charitable causes associated with children. He used to visit children in hospitals and orphanages, including St Mary's. He opened his heart and arms to help St Mary's and the Xaverian Brothers.

Harold Seymour, author of Baseball: The Golden Age, said for Ruth's fairytale ascend towards success, "Ruth's life was that of a Horatio Alger hero insofar as it depicted the familiar climb from lowly boyhood state to adult success. But there the parallel ends. Unlike the Alger heroes, Ruth did not struggle upward laboriously by dint of hard work and patient penny-pinching, and his way of life was foreign to their stuffy, moralistic code. Indeed it may be that Ruth owed much of his tremendous popular appeal precisely to his flouting of the earlier code"

Ruth exemplified the transition of values from Victorian era to modern American concepts of life and culture. He "probably attracted masses of people who wished subconsciously that they were free and courageous enough to cast aside social restrictions the way he did," said Harold Seymour.[br /]
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[b]The Threat[/b][br /]
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Despite his headstrong behavior, he was still a premier player with the team. Very soon Lou Gehrig, a fellow teammate, and a newcomer turned to be a big threat for Ruth. In 1931, Ruth's 12th season with the Yankees had just begun and it was Lou Gehrig's time too. Lou had a wonderful season in which he exhibited his skills and proved to be a promising player. Lou was increasingly decreasing the gap between his score and Ruth's. By the end of the season Ruth and Lou had a tie in home runs.

But it was not all about rivalry. They became good friends and remained so, until Dorothy put on a particular dress. Dorothy always visited the Gehrigs wearing the same clothes every time which Gehrig's mother disapproved of. This issue produced a crack in the cordial relations between the two families.[br /]
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[b]The Recession[/b][br /]
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Finally by 1933, the magic of this legendary baseball genius began to fade. Ruth sensed it and threatened that he would quit the Yankees if he were not made the manager. The Yankees turned down the request, and Ruth left in 1934. Ruth was known to be very irresponsible and because of this reputation, he could never fulfil his dream to become a coach of a major league. Boston Braves, after two years, netted Ruth as an assistant manager and also asked him to play as a part-time player. This decision roused mixed feelings among the Yorkers.

Some felt that he was selling out while some supported him saying that he deserved this opportunity. Ruth accepted this offer. Some three months later it became clear to Ruth that the Braves only wanted him for his drawing power and they were not certainly interested in giving him the manager's position. Soon he put his papers down and made his last appearance in May 1935, he retired with 714 career home runs (a record that remained unbroken till Hank Aaron broke it till 1974.)
He also coached the Brooklyn Dodgers in the year 1938, but his dream of managing a major league still remained a dream only.[br /]
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[b]One of the Famous Fives[/b][br /]
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Between 1930 and 1931 Ruth received an annual salary of $80,000, the highest that anyone received then. He endorsed many products and became an icon of modern America. In 1936, Ruth became a part of the first class inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which included Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson.[br /]
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[b]The Last Appearance[/b][br /]
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Catastrophe struck the baseball hero, when he was diagnosed with cancer. Ruth realized that he did not have much time left, and started his endless visits to many orphanages and children's hospitals. The year 1948 was the year that marked the 25th anniversary of the Yankee stadium, more popularly known as 'The House That Ruth Built'. Ruth made his final appearance there. His number was retired and April 27 was then onwards came to be known as 'Babe Ruth Day'.[br /]
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[b]The Exit[/b][br /]
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On August 16, 1948, Ruth breathed his last. He was 53, survived by his second wife, Claire Hodgson and two daughters, Dorothy and Julia. For two days thousands of people waited in line to pay their last respects to their most cherished baseball player, as his body lay at the main entrance to Yankee Stadium. His funeral was arranged on August 19 at St Patrick's Cathedral in New York. He is buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.

With memorable performance on the field that many cherish to surpass, only a truly great player of Ruth's caliber can get through it. He at that time held 54 major league records and that included most years leading a league in home runs (12), maximum bases in a season (457) and the highest slugging percentage for a season (.847)