Early Life
George Herman Ruth Jr. was sent as a boy to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys in Baltimore, where he learned to play baseball, and joined the Boston Red Sox in 1914.
Career
Initially a star pitcher for the Red Sox, he was sold to the New York Yankees in 1920 and became a full-time outfielder. He hit 60 home runs in 1927, a single-season record until 1961, and won seven World Series titles overall with the Red Sox and Yankees.
Legacy
Ruth retired in 1935 with 714 career home runs, a record that stood until Hank Aaron passed it in 1974. He was among the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 and died of cancer in 1948.
Sources and further reading
Last updated: 2026-09-24