Babe Ruth Timeline

(1895 - 1948)

Babe Ruth, born George Herman Ruth Jr., was an American professional baseball player widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. Known as 'The Bambino' and 'The Sultan of Swat,' he played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1914 to 1935, primarily for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. He revolutionized the game with his unprecedented home run hitting power. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early Life

Born in Baltimore, Maryland

Feb 6, 1895

George Herman Ruth Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to George Herman Ruth Sr. and Katherine Schamberger. He grew up in a rough waterfront neighborhood where he developed a reputation as a troublemaker.

Sent to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys

Jun 13, 1902

Ruth's parents sent him to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, a reformatory and orphanage, due to his unruly behavior. There, Brother Matthias Boutlier taught him the fundamentals of baseball.

Image source: Babe Ruth

Signs with the Baltimore Orioles minor league team

Feb 14, 1914

Jack Dunn signed the 19-year-old Ruth to his Baltimore Orioles minor league club. Teammates began calling him 'Babe' because of his youth, giving him the nickname that would follow him forever.

Marries Helen Woodford

Oct 17, 1914

Ruth married Helen Woodford, a waitress he met in Boston. The couple adopted a daughter, Dorothy, in 1921 before separating in the mid-1920s.

Image source: Helen Woodford Ruth

Playing Career

Sold to the Boston Red Sox

Jul 7, 1914

Dunn sold Ruth to the Boston Red Sox to help pay off debts. Ruth made his major league debut on July 11, 1914, beginning one of the most storied careers in baseball history.

Image source: Boston Red Sox

Wins first World Series with the Red Sox

Oct 8, 1915 - Oct 13, 1915

Ruth helped the Red Sox defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. Though he did not bat much, he pitched ten scoreless innings in Game 2, establishing himself as a premier pitcher.

Image source: 1915 World Series

Wins second World Series title with the Red Sox

Oct 6, 1916 - Oct 12, 1916

Ruth pitched a complete-game 14-inning victory over the Brooklyn Robins in Game 2, still the longest complete game in World Series history, as Boston won the series four games to one.

Image source: 1916 World Series

Wins third World Series with the Red Sox

Sep 5, 1918 - Sep 11, 1918

Ruth pitched 29.2 consecutive scoreless innings across two World Series starts against the Chicago Cubs, a record that stood for decades, as Boston won its third championship in four years.

Image source: 1918 World Series

Hits first career home run as a regular position player

May 6, 1919

As the Red Sox transitioned him from pitcher to outfielder to get his bat in the lineup daily, Ruth hit his first home run of the 1919 season, foreshadowing his transformation into baseball's greatest slugger.

Sold to the New York Yankees

Dec 26, 1919

Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth to the Yankees for $100,000 to finance a Broadway play. The sale launched the Yankees dynasty and gave rise to the legend of the 'Curse of the Bambino.'

Image source: Curse of the Bambino

Suspended after unauthorized barnstorming tour

Oct 1921 - May 1922

Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis suspended Ruth for the start of the 1922 season after he violated rules by playing exhibition games following the 1921 World Series, costing him the first six weeks of the year.

Yankee Stadium opens, dubbed 'The House That Ruth Built'

Apr 18, 1923

The new Yankee Stadium opened in the Bronx, built largely because of Ruth's drawing power. He celebrated by hitting a three-run homer in the inaugural game, a 4-1 win over the Red Sox.

Image source: Yankee Stadium (1923)

Wins first World Series with the Yankees

Oct 10, 1923 - Oct 15, 1923

Ruth batted .368 with three home runs as the Yankees defeated the New York Giants for their first championship, avenging back-to-back World Series losses to their crosstown rivals.

Image source: 1923 World Series

Suffers 'the bellyache heard round the world'

Apr 7, 1925

Ruth collapsed during spring training in Asheville, North Carolina, requiring emergency surgery. His mysterious illness, dubbed 'the bellyache heard round the world,' limited him to a poor 1925 season.

Launches legendary 1926 season comeback

Apr 13, 1926 - Oct 10, 1926

Ruth rebounded with 47 home runs and a .372 average, leading the Yankees back to the World Series, where he famously hit three home runs in Game 4 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Image source: 1926 New York Yankees season

Wins second Yankees World Series title

Oct 4, 1927 - Oct 8, 1927

Ruth anchored the legendary 1927 'Murderers' Row' Yankees, widely considered the greatest team ever, sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates for the franchise's second championship.

Image source: 1927 World Series

Wins third straight World Series with the Yankees

Oct 4, 1928 - Oct 9, 1928

Ruth hit .625 with three home runs as the Yankees swept the St. Louis Cardinals, completing back-to-back sweeps and capping one of the most dominant stretches in baseball history.

Image source: 1928 World Series

Hits famous 'called shot' home run in World Series

Oct 1, 1932

In Game 3 of the World Series at Wrigley Field, Ruth allegedly pointed toward center field before hitting a home run off Charlie Root. Whether or not he truly called his shot, it became baseball's most enduring legend.

Plays final full season with the Yankees

Apr 17, 1934 - Sep 30, 1934

At age 39, Ruth hit 22 home runs in his last full season with New York. The Yankees declined to offer him a managerial role, prompting his departure from the only AL team he had known since 1920.

Finishes career with the Boston Braves

Feb 26, 1935 - May 30, 1935

Ruth signed with the National League's Boston Braves as vice president and assistant manager, hoping to become manager. After hitting his final three home runs on May 25, he retired on June 2, 1935, with 714 career home runs.

Image source: Atlanta Braves

Records and Achievements

Leads American League pitchers with 24 wins

Apr 11, 1917 - Oct 4, 1917

Ruth posted a 24-13 record with a 2.01 ERA in 1917, leading the American League in wins and completing 35 of his 38 starts, cementing his status as baseball's best left-handed pitcher.

Sets single-season home run record with 29 homers

Jul 20, 1919 - Sep 27, 1919

Ruth smashed 29 home runs in 1919, breaking the major league single-season record of 27 set by Ned Williamson in 1884, signaling the arrival of the live-ball era and the power hitter.

Breaks own record with 54 home runs in first Yankees season

Apr 14, 1920 - Oct 3, 1920

In his first year in New York, Ruth hit 54 home runs, shattering his own record and out-homering every other American League team except Philadelphia. His popularity saved baseball after the Black Sox scandal.

Sets then-record 59 home runs in 1921 season

Apr 13, 1921 - Oct 2, 1921

Ruth hit 59 home runs and drove in 168 runs while posting a .378 average, leading the Yankees to their first pennant and setting offensive records that stood for decades.

Sets historic 60-home run single-season record

Apr 19, 1927 - Sep 30, 1927

Ruth hit 60 home runs in 1927, breaking his own record of 59 and setting a mark that stood until Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961. It remains one of the most iconic achievements in sports history.

Image source: 50 home run club

Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of first five members

Jan 29, 1936

Ruth was among the inaugural class elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving 95.13% of the vote alongside Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Honus Wagner.

Image source: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Later Life and Legacy

Stars in films including 'Speedy' and 'Headin' Home'

Jan 1, 1920 - Dec 31, 1932

Ruth capitalized on his fame with numerous film appearances, starring in the silent film 'Headin' Home' (1920) and appearing alongside Harold Lloyd in 'Speedy' (1928), becoming one of America's first celebrity athletes.

Image source: Speedy (film)

Marries Claire Hodgson

Apr 17, 1929

After Helen Woodford died in a house fire in January 1929, Ruth married Claire Hodgson, who became a stabilizing force in his life and helped manage his finances and public image.

Image source: Claire Merritt Ruth

Appears at Yankee Stadium farewell and number retirement

Jun 13, 1948

A frail Ruth made his final appearance at Yankee Stadium on its 25th anniversary, when his uniform number 3 was retired. Standing at the microphone, he said goodbye to tens of thousands of adoring fans.

Dies of cancer in New York City

Aug 16, 1948

Ruth died at age 53 of nasopharyngeal carcinoma at Memorial Hospital in Manhattan. His body lay in repose at Yankee Stadium, and an estimated 75,000 people filed past his casket.

Key Facts

Babe Ruth was born on February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland, and spent much of his youth at St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys.
He began his MLB career as a pitcher with the Boston Red Sox in 1914 before being sold to the New York Yankees in 1919, a trade often called the 'Curse of the Bambino.'
Ruth set the single-season home run record with 60 home runs in 1927, a mark that stood for 34 years until Roger Maris broke it in 1961.
He finished his career with 714 home runs, which remained the all-time record until Hank Aaron surpassed it in 1974.
Babe Ruth was one of the first five players inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Source

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