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N0KFQ > TODAY 02.06.16 16:34l 56 Lines 2594 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 95467_N0KFQ
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Subj: Today in History - Jun 2
Path: IW8PGT<CX2SA<N0KFQ
Sent: 160602/1413Z 95467@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.4.65
1935
Babe Ruth retires
On this day in 1935, Babe Ruth, one of the greatest players in
the history of baseball, ends his Major League playing career
after 22 seasons, 10 World Series and 714 home runs. The
following year, Ruth, a larger-than-life figure whose name became
synonymous with baseball, was one of the first five players
inducted into the sport's hall of fame.
George Herman Ruth was born February 6, 1895, into a poor family
in Baltimore. As a child, he was sent to St. Mary's Industrial
School for Boys, a school run by Roman Catholic brothers, where
he learned to play baseball and was a standout athlete. At 19,
Ruth was signed by the Baltimore Orioles, then a Boston Red Sox
minor league team. Ruth's fellow teammates and the media began
referring to him as team owner Jack Dunn's newest "babe," a
nickname that stuck. Ruth would later acquire other nicknames,
including "The Sultan of Swat" and "The Bambino."
Ruth made his Major League debut as a left-handed pitcher with
the Red Sox in July 1914 and pitched 89 winning games for the
team before 1920, when he was traded to the New York Yankees.
After Ruth left Boston, in what became known as "the curse of the
Bambino," the Red Sox didn't win another World Series until 2004.
In New York, Ruth's primary position changed to outfielder and he
led the Yankees to seven American League pennants and four World
Series victories. Ruth was a huge star in New York and attracted
so many fans that the team was able to open a new stadium in
1923, Yankee Stadium, dubbed "The House That Ruth Built."
The southpaw slugger's final season, in 1935, was with the Boston
Braves. He had joined the Braves with the hope that he'd become
the team's manager the next season. However, this dream never
came to pass for a disappointed Ruth, who had a reputation for
excessive drinking, gambling and womanizing.
Many of the records Ruth set remained in place for decades. His
career homerun record stood until 1974, when it was broken by
Hank Aaron. Ruth's record of 60 homeruns in a single season
(1927) of 154 games wasn't bested until 1961, when Roger Maris
knocked out 61 homers in an extended season of 162 games. The
Sultan of Swat's career slugging percentage of .690 remains the
highest in Major League history.
Ruth died of throat cancer at age 53 on August 16, 1948, in New
York City. His body lay in state at Yankee Stadium for two days
and was visited by over 100,000 fans.
73 - K.O., n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
E-Mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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