11 Intriguing Facts About Babe Ruth

The Sultan of Swat. The Great Bambino. The Caliph of Clout. Babe Ruth, also known as George Herman Ruth, Jr., was born on February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland. Despite a turbulent childhood, he left an indelible mark on American sports and on a nation recovering from the aftermath of WWI and the Great Depression.

With a career .342 batting average, 714 home runs, and a larger-than-life personality, he became an icon of bold triumph and audacious self-confidence. A surefire Hall of Famer, Ruth remains one of the most legendary American baseball players of all time.

Here are 11 fascinating facts about The Behemoth of Bust.

1. Babe Ruth was not an orphan.

Despite what many believe, Babe Ruth wasn't actually an orphan, although he did grow up in an institution for orphans. His father, George Sr., ran a saloon beneath their apartment, and after a violent gunfight erupted at the bar, a concerned neighbor allegedly alerted the authorities to the presence of a child. As a result, young Ruth was placed in St. Mary's Industrial School for Orphans, Delinquent, Incorrigible and Wayward Boys in Baltimore. His parents occasionally had him released, but his unruly behavior would quickly see him sent back.

Other accounts—such as the one in Ken Burns's Baseball documentary—claim that Ruth was sent to the orphanage at the age of 7 purely because of his wild behavior and his father’s inability to manage him. Regardless of the reason, Ruth remained at the school on and off until he was 19, when he signed with the minor league Baltimore Orioles as a pitcher. His school record notes: 'He is going to join the Balt. Baseball Team.'

2. He credited his baseball skills to his school's disciplinarian.

While Ruth's natural talent was undeniable, it was cultivated at Saint Mary's by Brother Matthias, the school's disciplinarian. Brother Matthias would frequently demonstrate his hitting ability by launching makeshift balls over 350 feet in the schoolyard in front of the children. This display was enough to spark Ruth’s passion, and he later wrote in the Saturday Evening Post, 'I think I was born as a hitter the first day I ever saw [Brother Matthias] hit a baseball.' In his later years, Ruth often referred to Brother Matthias as 'the greatest man I’ve ever known.'

3. "Babe" was once a common nickname.

Today, the name 'Babe' is synonymous with Ruth, but in his time, it was a widely used nickname for many big guys or newcomers. Ruth’s cultural impact was so profound that he transformed a generic term into an iconic label for himself alone. While many stories surround how he got the nickname, Ruth himself explained that it came from a member of the Baltimore Orioles coaching staff, who said, 'Well, here’s Jack’s newest babe now,' when Ruth first arrived at the clubhouse. 'Jack' referred to Jack Dunn, the team's manager.

4. He earned a combined no-hitter after punching an umpire.

A no-hitter is one of the most coveted feats for any pitcher, and Ruth can claim one despite only pitching to one batter. On June 23, 1917, Ruth was the starting pitcher for the Red Sox against the Washington Senators. After walking the first batter, Ruth got into a confrontation with the umpire, resulting in him being ejected after punching the official. Ernie Shore replaced him on the mound, completing the no-hitter, a game Ruth still gets credit for.

5. The Yankees paid about $125,000 to acquire Babe Ruth.

Babe Ruth is synonymous with the New York Yankees, but his career started with the Boston Red Sox, where he played for six seasons. In January 1920, Ruth was sold to the Yankees for $125,000 (about $1.6 million today) plus $300,000 in loans. Although the exact figure has been debated over the years, it was considered a bargain, and Ruth would go on to lead the Yankees to four World Series championships over the next 15 years.

6. He knocked himself out by running into an outfield wall.

During the first game of a doubleheader between the New York Yankees and the Washington Senators on July 5, 1924, Ruth collided with the concrete wall separating the field from the bleachers while trying to make a catch. He was knocked unconscious for five minutes, with Yankees trainer Doc Woods dousing his face with icy water to revive him. Once he regained consciousness, Ruth refused to leave the field and kept playing despite the limp he had from injuring his hip. He went on to record two more hits in that game and even played in the second one.

7. He was one of the first celebrity golfers.

Ruth began playing golf in 1915, the same year he joined the Boston Red Sox. Golf became an enduring passion for him, with Ruth claiming to play 365 rounds in certain years. His celebrity status allowed him to bring greater attention to the sport, which was competing with other relatively obscure activities like horse racing and boxing. While Bobby Jones was considered the era’s top golfer, Doug Vogel, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, stated that Ruth’s role in popularizing golf was arguably more significant than Jones’s. This was because, while Jones was the most skilled in a niche sport, Ruth was the most famous athlete worldwide.

8. Babe Ruth used his celebrity to publicly denounce Hitler.

Ruth’s father, George, Sr., had German roots, while his mother, Katherine, was of German-Irish descent. As a child, Ruth spoke German at home in the Pigtown area of Baltimore. Many years later, he used his heritage and fame to sign a declaration that was printed in 10 major newspapers, denouncing Hitler. His courageous public action took place in December 1942 and aimed to rally American sentiment to help save the Jews of Europe. He also urged German citizens to rise up and overthrow Hitler.

9. Babe Ruth's famous "called shot" is still up for debate.

One of sports' most unforgettable moments came during game three of the 1932 World Series. With the Yankees and Cubs tied at 4-4, Ruth stood in the batter's box at Wrigley Field, pointed toward the centerfield fence, and signaled to everyone, including pitcher Charlie Root, that he was about to hit a home run. On the very next pitch, Ruth delivered on his bold prediction, sending the ball into the stands. The Yankees won the game and, ultimately, the series.

The true meaning behind Ruth’s iconic pointing gesture has been a topic of debate for years. Ruth claimed the gesture was a signal that a home run was coming. Root, however, later argued that Ruth was simply showing two fingers to indicate the number of strikes. Some players and fans at the game supported Ruth’s version of events, while others didn’t notice the point at all. A critical detail: the sportswriters, including legendary Red Smith, didn’t mention the gesture in their reports. And with limited video evidence, we’ll never know for sure what Ruth meant by the gesture.

In 2020, new evidence emerged in the form of a long-lost radio interview with Lou Gehrig, conducted shortly after the game. In the interview, Gehrig recalled, "[Ruth] stands up there and tells the world that he's going to sock that next one. And not only that, but he tells the world right where he's going to sock it, into the center-field stands. A few seconds later, the ball was just where he pointed, in the center-field stands. He called his shot and then made it. I ask you: What can you do with a guy like that?"

10. He met a young player who went on to become president.

A few months before passing away from cancer, Ruth visited Yale to present a signed copy of his autobiography. The handover took place on the baseball field, of course, where Ruth passed the manuscript to the captain of Yale's baseball team—George H. W. Bush, who would later become the 41st President of the United States. Bush described the moment as 'tragic,' noting Ruth’s frailty due to his illness.

11. Babe Ruth's final home run ball resides in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ruth ended his career with 714 home runs, a mark that stood strong for almost 40 years until Hank Aaron surpassed it. His final home run occurred on May 25, 1935, as a member of the Boston Braves in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This moment was remarkable not only because it was his last, but also because it marked the first time anyone saw a ball sail over the 86-foot stands at Pittsburgh's Forbes Field. Some even claimed the ball cleared the stands by 50 feet.

Regardless of its truth, the ball certainly ended up in a yard four blocks away from the stadium. A young man grabbed it and hurried to get Ruth’s autograph. Today, that ball is housed in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.