This Moment in Sports History for 08-15-2024

On August 15th in sports history, one significant event took place in 1948. This was the day when the legendary baseball player Babe Ruth passed away at the age of 53 in New York City. Babe Ruth, born George Herman Ruth Jr., was an icon of the sport and is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He began his Major League Baseball career as a left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in 1914 but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth's impact on baseball was immense. He revolutionized the game with his powerful hitting, setting numerous records including career home runs (714), runs batted in (2,213), bases on balls (2,062), and on-base plus slugging (1.164). His larger-than-life personality and popularity also helped to boost baseball's status as America's "national pastime" during the 1920s and 1930s. One of Ruth's most famous moments came during the 1932 World Series when he allegedly made a "called shot" by pointing to the center field bleachers before hitting a home run in that direction. After retiring as a player in 1935, Ruth had a brief stint as a coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1938. He was one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. Ruth's death on August 15, 1948, was front-page news across the country. His body lay in state at Yankee Stadium, where tens of thousands of fans came to pay their respects. On the day of his funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, an estimated 75,000 to 100,000 people lined the streets to watch the procession go by. Babe Ruth's legacy in sports history remains as strong as ever, with his name still synonymous with baseball greatness. The anniversary of his passing on August 15th is always a poignant reminder of the indelible mark he left on the sport.