From the early days until World War I baseball used a rag type of a ball. This was known as the Dead Ball Era. Since the ball was not lively the strategy of the game revolved around defense, speed, and especially base running. The early ballparks featured spacious outfields. The combination of the dead ball and the huge outfield distances made home run hitting extremely difficult.

From 1876 through 1919 only eight players hit as many as 27 home runs in a season. Both fans and managers viewed home runs as being unusual and not integral part of the game. In 1919 this was all to change when George Herman Ruth moved from pitcher to outfielder. To this day baseball has never been the same.

A child named George Herman Ruth was born on February 6, 1895. Little did the baseball world know he would be one of the best if not the best player who ever played the game. Ruth’s early childhood w

The next three years, Ruth was one of the best left-handed pitchers in the American League. He won a total of 65 games. In 1915 the Red Sox won the World Series, but Babe only batted once and did not pitch in the whole five game series. The Red Sox won the championship in both 1916 and 1918. Ruth had set the all time record of the most scoreless innings pitched in a World Series game and it was not broken until Whitey Ford in 1962.

The next two seasons were a disappointment for Ruth and the Yankees. Ruth was aging and could not produce as well. He tried to become the Yankee manager, but was unsuccessful. The 1935 season was the last season played by the Babe. The Yankees did not renew his contract. Ruth signed with the Boston Braves. The contract was a three level position - player, assistant manager, and vice president. Assistant manager and vice president never came. The Braves just wanted the legend around. Ruth career was larger than life and he made his last day in baseball a grand one. In his final game as a player he slugged three home runs finishing his career with 714 home runs.

During the six months Ruth proved to be a major talent. Dunn kept adding more money on to his salary. After a few months Dunn was losing money left and right from the Federal League. On July 8, 1914 Ruth was sold to the Boston Red Sox along with two other players for $8,500. Ruth’s career in professional baseball had begun.

Yankees won the pennant that season and won the World Series by defeating the New York Giants 4 games to 2. Ruth ended up winning the American League MVP Award for the first and only time of his career.

as rough. At age seven his parents could not handle him anymore and he was sent off to St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys. It was a reform school run by Catholic brothers. During his stay at St. Mary’s he was tutored in baseball skills by Brother Matthias.

In 1946 Ruth developed throat cancer. On August 16, 1948 George Herman Ruth died at the age of 53. He passed away, but his legend still lives today. More than 50 years after his death the home run is the most popular play in baseball. In 1998 fans turned out by the millions to see Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa shatter the all time home run record in a single season. Babe Ruth and home runs will forever be remembered together.

In the 1924 season Babe hit 46 home runs to lead the league again. Babe partied big time in the off season. He ate many hot

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