Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth, Baseball Legend
Babe Ruth was born George Herman Ruth Jr. on February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland. He spent much of his early life at St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, where he was introduced to baseball. Ruth married Helen Woodford in 1914, and after her passing, he later married Claire Merritt Hodgson, becoming a devoted stepfather to her daughter.
Ruth’s professional baseball career began as a pitcher with the Boston Red Sox, but he achieved legendary status after being traded to the New York Yankees in 1919. Over his 22-season career, he hit 714 home runs and set numerous records that transformed the sport. Ruth led the Yankees to four World Series championships and became the face of Major League Baseball during its rise in popularity.
After retiring in 1935, Ruth remained active in the sport and advocated for youth baseball programs. He made several public appearances and hoped to one day manage a Major League team, though that opportunity never came. Ruth passed away in 1948 from cancer, but his legacy continues to influence the game and inspire fans across generations.
- Babe Ruth was a rare talent who excelled both as a power hitter and as a dominant pitcher, finishing his career with 714 home runs and a 2.28 ERA across his pitching seasons.
- In 1919, the Red Sox traded Ruth to the Yankees in a deal partly driven by financial needs, which sparked the long-standing “Curse of the Bambino” narrative as Boston failed to win another World Series until 2004.
- Throughout his career, Ruth earned many nicknames, including “The Sultan of Swat,” “The Colossus of Clout,” “The Great Bambino,” and simply “The Babe.”
The spirit of Babe Ruth—determined, larger than life, and always swinging for the fences—resonates deeply with the Republicman mindset: realistic, unifying, patriotic, and bold. That same energy lives on through our Republicman Collection, which features bold designs on tees, hats, aprons, and more—each piece built to last and designed to inspire.
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