Babe Ruth Baseball: His Legacy and Impact

by Richard Janvrin, May 28, 2025

It may be slightly difficult to connect the dots, but if not for Babe Ruth, who knows if all baseball betting sites we play at today would be as prominent.

He was an icon for the sport, especially during the 1920s, and paved the way for stars like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, who are leading the way and driving even more interest in the sport.

Below, I’ll explore the Babe Ruth baseball legacy, including his cultural icon status, switching from pitching to hitting, and more.

• A Cultural Icon
• From Pitching to Hitting
• He Changed the Game
• The Yankees Dynasty
• The Numbers Hold Up
• Remains a Legend
• Does He Hold Up?

A Cultural Icon

Playing from 1914 to 1935, Ruth’s career spanned over two decades and was truly the first sports icon in North America.

In those days, there were plenty of big-name boxers like Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey, but the Babe Ruth legend was unlike anything else.

He came from humble beginnings on Emory Street in the Pigtown section of Baltimore.

Then, as his career progressed, he showcased his personality and became a true hero to millions as World War I and the 1918 flu pandemic came and went.

Years later, during World War II, after Ruth had retired, it’s been reported that Japanese soldiers would yell “To hell with Babe Ruth” to anger the Americans.

From Pitching to Hitting

After playing minor league baseball with the Baltimore Orioles, his contract was sold to the Boston Red Sox. The amount is disputed, with some claiming it was $25,000.

He joined the team on July 11, 1914, along with Ernie Shore and Ben Egan. He was a dominant left-handed pitcher, and this was the beginning of the Babe Ruth legacy.

In fact, there’s a Babe Ruth story that says on the day he arrived in Boston, he met Helen Woodford, who would become his first wife. She was a waitress at Landers Coffee Shop.

He was with the Red Sox from 1914 to 1919. Over that time, he went 89-46 with a 2.19 ERA, throwing 1190.1 innings. He allowed just nine home runs and struck out 483 batters.

Ruth did hit while with Boston, too. He had 1,110 at-bats. He posted a line of .308/.413/.568 with 49 home runs and 224 runs batted in.

His 29 home runs in 1919 were the single-season home run record, furthering the Babe Ruth legend.

That season, it was apparent that Ruth was a force as a hitter as well, but that didn’t come into full swing until he arrived with a new team, which will be covered soon.

He Changed the Game

As mentioned, Ruth’s 29 home runs in 1919 was the single-season record.

Previously, the record was 27, set by Ned Williamson in 1884 for the Chicago White Stockings.

Before some good old-fashioned Babe Ruth baseball came onto the scene, baseball was more of a “small ball” game. There was less power and more speed.

As we’ll now find out, though, those 29 home runs in 1919 were a footnote.

Ruth went on to obliterate that mark, furthering the Babe Ruth legacy.

The Yankees Dynasty

In late 1919, Harold Frazee, from New York City, bought the Boston Red Sox. He made a series of moves, including paying $60,000 for Walter Johnson from the Senators.

However, on Dec. 26, 1919, he sold Ruth to the New York Yankees, marking the beginning of the “Curse of the Bambino.”

Of course, Bambino was Ruth’s nickname, and that “curse” held for nearly 90 years as the Red Sox didn’t win another World Series until 2004.

When Ruth landed with the Yankees, he was primarily a hitter. He did some pitching, going 5-0 across 15 seasons, but he was their star hitter.

Remember the 29 home runs in 1919?

Yeah, in 1920, he hit 54 home runs and had 125 RBIs.

Before Ruth, the Yankees never won a pennant.

With him, they became the most successful franchise in baseball history.

With Ruth on the roster, the Yankees won seven AL pennants and won four World Series.

He hit 659 home runs with the Yankees, bringing his total to 714. Babe Ruth baseball was unlike anything else.

He held the all-time home run record until Hank Aaron broke it in 1975 at age 41. Ruth only played until he was 40.

Over his time with the Yankees, Ruth had 659 home runs, 1,978 RBIs, 110 stolen bases, and hit .349.

His most stellar season came in 1927 as a member of the “Murderer’s Row” lineup. He hit 60 home runs, 165 RBIs, and hit .356.

That lineup included Earle Combs, Mark Koenig, Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bob Meusel, and Tony Lazzeri.

His final career line, including his time with the Red Sox and sole season with the Boston Braves, is 714 home runs, 2,214 RBIs, 123 stolen bases, .342 batting percentage, .474 on-base percentage, and .690 slugging percentage.

The Numbers Hold Up

Ruth currently holds the No. 3 spot in the all-time home runs list, trailing Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762). This alone allows the Babe Ruth legend to hold up today.

However, there are some records he still holds, including slugging percentage (.690), OPS (on-base plus slugging; 1.164), and adjusted OPS (206).

He’s also atop the record books in RBIs (2,214; second), walks (2,062; third), and runs scored (2,174; fourth).

Remains a Legend

Today, nearly 100 years after he last suited up, Ruth remains a legend.

He was a member of the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame class in 1936.

When it was all said and done, Ruth was a two-time All-Star, won seven World Series, was the AL MVP, the AL batting champion, a 12-time home run leader, five-time RBI leader, AL ERA leader, the Yankees retired his No. 3, and he’s in the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

Does He Stack Up to Today?

I’d argue that, yes, he does. The Babe Ruth legacy reigns.

While the athletes of today are superior to what Ruth faced back then, the gap between Ruth and most of his peers was reminiscent of watching Ohtani play today.

Ruth was simply on another level and unlike anything baseball had seen at the time.

Many still consider Ruth to be the greatest baseball player ever, thanks to his hitting ability and early career dominance as a pitcher.

Yes, it’s been nearly 100 years since he played, but in 100 years from now, Ruth will still be remembered.

“I swing big, with everything I’ve got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can,” a Babe Ruth quote he truly lived by each day he hit the diamond.