The Legendary Babe Ruth

Telegram from Babe’s publicist Christy Walsh to Babe’s widow Claire following Babe’s death. Dated August 16, 1948, it reads: There were just too many extra innings for Babe’s poor overworked heart. Thank God his suffering has ended. Please accept my sympathy. Sincerely, Christy Walsh.

George Herman "Babe" Ruth was an American original, baseball's first great slugger and the most celebrated athlete of his time. The southpaw hurler debuted with the Red Sox, winning 89 games in six years while setting the World Series record for consecutive scoreless innings. The Sultan of Swat converted to the outfield full-time after his sale to the Yankees in 1920 and led New York to seven American League pennants and four World Series titles. He finished with 714 home runs, leading the league 12 times, including a remarkable 60 round-trippers in 1927.

*Unless otherwise stated, all photos are copyrighted by their original owners. I do not claim ownership of any photo posted on this blog.

Major League Career Statistics:
Batting average: .342
Home runs: 714
Hits: 2,873
RBI: 2,213
Pitching W/L record: 94-46
ERA: 2.28

Top Ten in MLB history in the following categories:
3rd on home run list – 714
10th in batting average – .342
2nd on RBI list – 2,213
2nd on all-time slugging % – .690
2nd on all-time on-base % – .474
1st on all-time OPS – 1.164
4th on all-time runs list – 2,174
6th on all-time total bases list – 5,793
3rd on all-time walks list – 2,062