On this day in history, September 24, 1943, Babe Ruth plays his last game for the New York Yankees
Baseball legend Babe Ruth played his last game as a Yankee in New York on this day in history, Sept. 24, 1934.
He was 39 years old.
Only 4,000 fans were on hand for his finale at Yankee Stadium, which was against the Boston Red Sox, noted The Los Angeles Times.
Ruth was walked in the first inning. He was replaced by pinch-runner Myril Hoag, recounted the same source.
No one knew at the time that the day would be his last in pinstripes at Yankee Stadium. Ruth was traded in the off-season.
Remarkably, this day in history is “a double-landmark” day for Ruth — as Sept. 24, 1919, is the same date that he became baseball’s single-season home run record holder, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The two milestones were 15 years apart.
Only 24 years old in 1919, Ruth was both a pitcher and an outfielder for the Boston Red Sox.
He was 9-5 and had a 2.97 earned-run average in the 17 games he pitched, according to the same source.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, SEPT. 30, 1927, BABE RUTH SWATS RECORD 60TH HOME RUN, SHOCKS SPORTS WORLD
“He played in 130 games, batted .322 and drove in 114 runs. And on this date, he hit his 28th home run, breaking Ned Williamson’s single-season record. Ruth finished the season with 29 homers,” said The Los Angeles Times.
The next year, Ruth would wear a Yankee uniform — and as a full-time outfielder he smashed 54 home runs.
On Aug. 11, 1929, as a New York Yankees slugger, Ruth became the first player to eclipse 500 career home runs, according to ESPN.
He was already baseball’s all-time home run leader to that point, and by a comfortable margin, according to multiple sources.
It took until 1940 before anyone joined Ruth in the 500 home-run club, when Boston Red Sox first baseman Jimmie Foxx hit his just over 11 years later, noted ESPN.
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Across his first six MLB seasons as a member of the Red Sox, Ruth hit 49 home runs while also spending time as a pitcher.
He exploded once he became a Yankee, though, blasting 467 home runs in the 1920s alone, the same source chronicled.
Interestingly, Ruth was walked more than any batter in history, 2,056 times, according to The Los Angeles Times.
In 1923, he was walked 170 times — for another record.
After his 54- and 59-homer seasons of 1920 and ‘21, his intentional walks skyrocketed.
“In 13 seasons he was passed more than 100 times,” the same source noted.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, MAY 25, 1935, BABE RUTH HITS HIS 714TH HOME RUN
Known as “The Bambino,” Ruth concluded his career with 714 home runs, an individual record that stood until Atlanta Braves outfielder Hank Aaron passed him in 1974.
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San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds took over as the home run king in 2007, and he still has the most at 762, the same source stated.
Ruth was a member of the inaugural National Baseball Hall of Fame class in 1936.
He was honored along with Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson and Honus Wagner, according to several sources.
The seven-time World Series champion naturally has his No. 3 jersey retired by the Yankees.
The first season the Yankees even wore jersey numbers was 1929, the same year Ruth hit 500 home runs, according to Sports Illustrated.
Ruth died of throat cancer at age 53 on Aug. 16, 1948, in New York City.
His body lay in state at Yankee Stadium for two days. During that time, over 100,000 fans paid their last respects, according to History.com.
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