Babe Ruth changed the game of baseball forever with his powerful swing and larger-than-life personality. Initially, he dominated the league as a pitcher before he transformed into the greatest slugger the sport had ever seen. Furthermore, his exploits off the field became just as legendary as his home runs. Consequently, his legacy as the "Sultan of Swat" endures nearly a century later. Explore these fascinating details about the American icon.
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth kept a cabbage leaf under his hat to stay cool. Because the wool uniforms trapped immense heat, he placed a chilled leaf directly on his head during games. Periodically, he switched it out for a fresh, cold one every two innings.
He started his career as a star pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Before he became a famous hitter, Babe Ruth ranked among the best left-handed pitchers in the league. Moreover, he set a record for consecutive scoreless innings in the World Series that stood for over forty years.
Police arrested him for speeding in Manhattan in 1921. Officers caught him driving 26 miles per hour on Riverside Drive and threw him in jail for the day. Immediately upon his release, he put his uniform on under his suit and rushed to the stadium to play.
The Curtiss Candy Company refused to pay him royalties for the Baby Ruth bar. Conveniently, the company claimed they named the candy after President Grover Cleveland’s daughter, Ruth, who had died years earlier. Therefore, Babe Ruth sued them for using his likeness but eventually lost the court case.
Babe Ruth became the first player to wear the number 3 on his jersey. The New York Yankees assigned numbers based on the batting order, and he always batted third. Consequently, the team retired his number in 1948, ensuring no Yankee would ever wear it again.
Allegedly, he pushed a piano into a frozen pond in Massachusetts. While partying at his farm in Sudbury, he reportedly shoved the instrument onto the ice to entertain his guests. Local legend says the piano remains at the bottom of the pond to this day.
He joined the New York National Guard in Times Square. In 1924, he enlisted in the 104th Field Artillery to encourage other young men to sign up. Thus, he traded his baseballbat for a military salute during a massive public ceremony.
Japanese soldiers used his name as an insult during World War II. Because Babe Ruth visited Japan in 1934 and became a massive celebrity there, the soldiers knew his name well. ironically, they screamed “To hell with Babe Ruth!” at American troops during jungle battles.
He supposedly “called his shot” during the 1932 World Series. While facing the Chicago Cubs, he pointed toward the center-field bleachers right before he hit a massive home run to that exact spot. Although some debate the gesture, it remains one of the most famous moments in sports history.
His parents sent him to a reformatory school at age seven. Because he chewed tobacco and drank alcohol as a small child, they signed custody over to St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys. Fortunately, Brother Matthias became a father figure to him and taught him how to play baseball.
The Red Sox sold him to finance a Broadway play. The owner, Harry Frazee, needed money to fund a production called No, No, Nanette. As a result, this transaction started the “Curse of the Bambino,” which prevented Boston from winning a championship for 86 years.
Babe Ruth possessed a gargantuan appetite for food and drink. On one occasion, he reportedly ate 12 hot dogs and drank eight bottles of soda between the games of a doubleheader. Subsequently, he suffered from a severe stomach ache that the media dramatically called “The Bellyache Heard ‘Round the World.”
Uniquely, he used a staggeringly heavy bat. He swung a 54-ounce hickory bat, which is much heavier than the bats modern players use today. He believed the extra weight generated more power, even if it slowed down his swing speed.
He visited children in hospitals constantly throughout his life. Often, he skipped team practices or social events to spend hours signing autographs for sick kids. Generously, he promised to hit home runs for them and frequently delivered on his word.
Finally, Babe Ruth is one of only two people to lie in state at Yankee Stadium. After he died in 1948, over 100,000 fans filed past his open casket near home plate to pay their respects. Fittingly, the stadium he built served as the site of his final goodbye.
