Babe Ruth

George Herman Ruth Jr., better known as Babe Ruth, was a baseball legend who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and the Boston Braves.

Ruth started as a pitcher with the Boston Braves in 1914, but his career shone with the New York Yankees as an outfielder who displayed incredible offensive abilities. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture, and many consider him to be the greatest baseball player of all time.

After retiring, he became one of the first celebrity golfers to participate in charity tournaments, and even before retirement, he was into philanthropic activities, such as the Babe Ruth Foundation, a non-profit organization Ruth established in 1947.

Babe Ruth’s Personal Information

Babe Ruth’s Early Life

Babe Ruth was born in a needy family in Baltimore, Maryland, on February 6, 1985, and had a difficult childhood. Most of the time, Babe was left to fend for himself as his parents remained absent from home.

At the age of seven, Ruth was sent to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, a reformatory and orphanage, due to economic constraints and lack of care he needed. St. Mary's was a strict institution, and Ruth was subjected to punishment regularly due to him being naughty.

However, the strict discipline of St. Mary's eventually helped him in the long run, making him a completely self-made man. Ruth developed several life skills in the orphanage, such as carpentering, shirtmaking, etc. Ruth also did most of the work around the facility, from cooking to shoemaking and renovating St Mary’s.

Ruth was deeply encouraged to play baseball by Brother Matthias, who mentored Ruth and sharpened his baseball skills as he quickly progressed in his pitching and hitting abilities.

In 1913, Ruth was allowed to leave St. Mary's to play weekend games on teams that were drawn from the community. His talent was potent, and scouts soon noticed him. In 1914, he signed his first professional baseball contract with the Baltimore Orioles of the International League.

Babe Ruth’s Personal Life

Babe Ruth's childhood was challenging, and his lifestyle was often chaotic. He was known for womanizing and heavy drinking and has been married twice.

His first wife was Helen Woodford, and they had an adopted daughter named Dorothy. The couple separated in 1925, and Woodford died in a house fire three years later.

Ruth then married model and actress Claire Merritt Hodgson, and they had a stepdaughter named Julia Ruth Stevens, who was the late Frank Hodgson's daughter from a previous marriage.

In 1946, Ruth was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. He was treated with drugs and radiation, losing 80 pounds. Despite his initial improvement in 1947, his condition deteriorated again the following year, and he passed away on 16 August 1948 at the age of 53.

Babe Ruth’s Family Background

Babe Ruth was born to George Herman Ruth Sr. and Kate Shamberger Ruth, who were both of German ancestry. Ruth's father was a saloon owner, his mother was a homemaker, and he had one younger sister, Mamie.

Ruth’s father has also worked multiple jobs, including lightning rod salesman and streetcar operator, supporting the family’s economy.

Babe Ruth’s sister's actual name was Mary Ruth Moberly. Her brother nicknamed her “Mamie” and used to annoy her by calling her Mamie.

Mary was married to Wilbur Marion Moberly, a clothing cutter, and lived in Baltimore until her husband's death when she moved to Hagerstown to be with her daughter and son-in-law.

Mary was a homemaker and often called on to share her brother's childhood memories. She was proud of his baseball skills and sometimes signed autographs as "Babe Ruth's sister." She was an occasional visitor to Baltimore and attended ceremonies for the groundbreaking and opening of the Babe Ruth Museum.

On March 21, 1992, at the age of 91, Mary passed away. She is survived by her daughter, Florence Margaret Binau, two grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

Babe Ruth’s Wife

Ruth’s first marriage was with Helen Woodford. At 16, Helen married Babe Ruth in Ellicott City, Maryland, and their marriage took place after the 1914 baseball season. Helen was a waitress at Landers Coffee Shop in Boston. The couple adopted a daughter, Dorothy, born in 1921 to Juanita Jennings. Their relationship eventually got complicated, and as a result, they parted ways in 1925.

Claire Merritt Hodgson in 1922 when she worked as a model and performed in Broadway chorus lines. After the passing of Babe's first wife, Helen Woodford Ruth, in 1929, Claire and Babe got married. They chose not to have a biological child but had a step-child Julia Ruth Stevens from Clarie’s previous marriage.

Babe Ruth’s Kids

Babe Ruth’s only biological child was Dorothy Ruth. She was born Dorothy Helen Ruth Pirone as her birthname, and her mother’s name was Juanita Jennings, who happened to be Ruth’s mistress.

Dorothy was born June 7, 1921, in New York City at St. Vincent's Hospital and was adopted by Babe and Helen Woodford and raised to believe that Helen was her biological mother. Dorthy also wrote a memoir in her father’s name, titled My Dad, the Babe.

At 59, in 1980, Dorthy learned that her father's friend and the person she called Aunt Nita was her real mother.

Babe Ruth’s Net Worth

Babe Ruth’s last reported net worth was around an estimated $800 thousand, as per celebritynetworth.com.

Ruth was a trendy fan figure then, and his wealth came from various sources, including his baseball player salary, endorsements, and investments. He was the highest-paid baseball player of his day, earning an annual salary of $80 thousand in 1930 with the New York Yankees.

Babe Ruth as Brand Ambassador

There is no exact information regarding Ruth being a Brand Ambassador. However, he was highly popular among the general public, making him a significant asset to brands across industries with daily products.

His endorsements included Coca-Cola, Quaker Oats, Spalding, and more.

Babe Ruth’s Investments

Ruth liked to invest in annuities, and one of his significant records states his purchase of a lifetime annuity for his wife Clarie would take care of her financial needs forever.

Babe Ruth’s Career Stats

Throughout Ruth’s 22-year MLB Career with the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the Boston Braves, he maintained a batting average of .342, a .474 on-base percentage, and a .690 slugging percentage of 714 career home runs, scoring 2213 RBIs, along with an incredible 1.164 on-base plus slugging percentage.

Here is a tabular representation of Babe Ruth’s MLB career stats.

Source - MLB.com.

Babe Ruth’s Achievements

Here is a tabular representation of Ruth’s Achievements so far.

Babe Ruth’s Contract

Ruth’s highest reported contract with the New York Yankees in 1930 carried a value of $80 thousand annually.

Babe Ruth’s Diet

The Sultan of Swat did like a royal banquet, as his food habits were extraordinarily unhealthy and excessive.

He would start his day with four cups of bourbon and ginger ale, followed by a breakfast of a porterhouse steak, potatoes, and an 18-egg omelet. He would eat two raw porterhouse steaks, two orders of potatoes, and a lettuce head with Roquefort dressing for lunch.

Dinner was no less excessive, with two more porterhouse steaks, two lettuce heads with Roquefort dressing, two cottage fried potatoes, and two apple pie orders, as per legendssf.com.

Babe Ruth’s House

Babe Ruth’s birthplace is located at 216 Emory Street, Baltimore, three blocks west of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and is a museum where visitors can learn more about his life and career.

Babe Ruth’s Cars

Ruth was a big fan of cars. In 1948, Ford gave him a Lincoln Continental as a gift for his work with Little League Baseball. Ruth used the vehicle to travel across the country, spreading his love of baseball to young players and providing them with tips.