The Babe!

"The only game, I think, in the world is baseball."

George Herman "Babe" Ruth was born in Baltimore, Maryland on February 6, 1895.  He was the son of German immigrants and one of only two siblings (out of seven) to survive past infancy.

Though much of his childhood remains a mystery, it is believed that his interest in baseball first began while as a student at St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys.  There, he was mentored by Brother Matthias Boutlier, himself a skilled baseball player.

When Ruth was 19, he began his career with the Baltimore Orioles.  It was here that he earned his nickname, due to both his young appearance and his almost familial relationship with team owner, Jack Dunn.  He was later sold to the Boston Red Sox, where he had a well-earned reputation as an outstanding pitcher.

In 1920, Ruth was sold again, this time to the New York Yankees.  Over the next 15 years, he'd help them win seven American League pennants and four World Series.  By the time he retired in 1935, he'd achieved 714 home runs in his big-league career, a record that would stand until 1974, when Hank Aaron scored 715.

By 1946, Ruth was experiencing the early symptoms of cancer.  He'd continue traveling the country however, doing promotional work for the Ford Motor Company.  He also collaborated on his autobiography The Babe Ruth Story.  During one of his final public appearances, he donated a copy of the yet-unpublished manuscript to Yale University.  There, he met the captain of the baseball team, future President George H.W, Bush.

Babe Ruth passed away on August 16th, 1948, at the age of 53.  He was laid to rest at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• If you want to learn more about Babe Ruth, take a voyage to Amazon.  It's all in books.
  
  
• The eulogy that appears on Ruth's marker (shown above) was delivered by Cardinal Francis Spellman, who served as Archbishop of New York and officiated at the funeral.
  
  
• The Babe had a tendency to call each of his teammates "kid."  It wasn't a term of endearment; rather, he could never remember their names.
  
  
• The Babe's father once owned a pub in downtown Baltimore.  The neighborhood was later redeveloped and turned into Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles.  It is said that the pub was located at what is now center field.
  
  
• Camden Yards also includes a tribute to the Babe in the form of a statue.  Unfortunately, it incorrectly portrays him as a right-hander.  The Babe was a lefty.