Monday, June 20, 2011

Babe Ruth: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1936

Boston Red Sox (1914-1919)

New York Yankees (1920-1934)

Boston Braves (1935)

Born: February 6, 1895

1902: Sent St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, where he learned baseball and became a qualified tailor.

1914: Signed with minor league Baltimore Orioles. His teammates dubbed him "Babe" because of his youthful looks (he was 19).

1914: The Orioles sold Ruth to the Boston Red Sox after the A's and Reds passed.

MLB Debut: July 14, 1914

1914: Ruth appeared in 5 games and spent most of the season in the minors.

1915: Earned a spot on the Red Sox as a starting pitcher. He won 18 games. He also hit his first home run.

1915: Red Sox win the World Series. Ruth does not pitch and goes 0-for-1.

1916: Ruth wins 23 games and leads the league in shutouts and ERA. His 9 shutouts were a record for AL left handed pitchers (since matched).

1916: July 11: Starts both games of a doubleheader. Also, he beat Walter Johnson four times in 1916.

1916: Red Sox win World Series. Ruth throws a 14-inning complete game victory in Game 2.

1917: Ruth walked the lead-off hitter on a June 23 game. He threw a tantrum, punched the umpire, and his relief, Ernie Shore retired every batter he faced after the runner was thrown out trying to steal.

1917: Ruth suspended for 10 games for hitting an umpire.

1918: Ruth begins to transition to the outfield and leads the league with 11 home runs.

1918: Red Sox win the World Series (Ruth goes 2-0)

1919: Ruth sets a new home run record with 29.

1919: Sold to the Yankees

1920s

1920: Ruth finishes transition to the outfield and rewrites the record books. In 1920, he hit 54 homers.

1921: 378, 59 HR, 171 RBI. If today's rules regarding foul balls existed, Ruth would have hit 104 home runs. He set the MLB record for Total Bases, Extra Base Hits, and Times on Base, which still stand. He also becomes the All Time Home Run champ (passed by Henry Aaron).

1921-1922: Yanks win Pennant but lose World Series to Giants (Ruth hit .313 and .118 in the two series with 1 homer).

1922: Ruth leapt into the stands to confront a heckler, is suspended, and stripped of the captaincy.

1923: Yankee Stadium opens; Ruth hits the first home run. It is dubbed "The House that Ruth Built" because of the gate he drew.

1923: Wins MVP (rules prevented multiple winners)

1923: Yanks win their first world title. Ruth hits .368 with 3 homers.

1924: Ruth is seriously injured in a collision with a wall. Still, he just misses the Triple Crown by 8 RBI.

1925: The Bellyache heard 'round the world: Ruth suffers a season long ailment and the Yanks experience their last losing season until 1965.

1926: Ruth rebounds to form (.372, 47, 146) and the Yanks win the pennant

1926 World Series: Game 4: Ruth hits 3 homers in a single game (matched by Reggie in 1977).

1926 World Series: Game 7: With NY trailing 3-2 with 2 out in the 9th, Ruth is thrown out trying to steal ending the series. Cardinals win the World Series.

1927: Yanks win 110 games. Ruth hits 60 (17 in September).  Lou Gehrig hits 47.

1927: Yanks sweep World Series

1928: Ruth only hits 54 homers and the Yanks sweep the World Series.

1929: Assigned uniform #3

1930s

1930: The Babe pitches a complete game victory as a stunt.

1930: Ruth demands $80,000 and quips he had a better year than the president (Herbert Hoover)

1932: Yanks win pennant.

1932: Ruth calls his shot in the World Series. Yanks win Series in 4 (Babe hits .333 with 2 homers and 6 RBI)

1933: Hit first All Star Game home run

1934: Hits 700th homer

1934: Barnstorms the Far East with other star players.

1934: Turns down offer to manage minor league club. The Babe wants to manage the Yanks. NY sells Ruth to the Boston Braves in 1935.

1935: May 25: Hits the final three homers of his career.

1935: Retires

1936: Elected to Hall of Fame

1938: Coaches for the Dodgers

1939: Appears at Lou Gehrig Day

1940s and beyond:

1942: Yanks retire his #3

1942: Appears in charity exhibition against Walter Johnson

1947: Served as Director of the American Legion Youth Baseball Program

1947: Yanks hold "Babe Ruth Day"

1948: Attends 25th anniversary festivities for Yankee Stadium

1948: Babe dies

1999: All Century Team

2008: Ruth's daughter throws out first pitch in the final game at Yankee Stadium.

Accomplishments:

7x World Champion (1915-16, 1918, 1923, 1927-28, 1932)

1923 AL MVP

1924 Batting Title

.342 Career Hitter

2x All Star

SI's Greatest Player of the 20th century

714 Home Runs (#2 all time)

Led League HR: 12x

50+ HR: 4x (60 in 1927)

2174 Runs Scored (Led League 8x)

2873 Hits

506 doubles

2213 RBI (#2 All Time)

Led League in RBI: 6x

150+ RBI: 6x

2062 Walks (Led League 11x)

.474 OBP (Led League 10x)

.690 SLG (#1 All Time)

Led League in SLG: 13x

OPS: 1.164 (#1 All Time)

Led League in OPS: 13x

94-46 Win-Loss Record

.671 Win %

2.28 ERA (Led League 1916)

17 Shutouts (Led League 1916)

Postseason Pitching: 3-0 record; 0.87 ERA

Postseason Hitting: .326, 15 HR, 33 RBI, 1.211 OPS



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