Babe Ruth's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Babe Ruth. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Babe Ruth, nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat," was a legendary American baseball player whose MLB career spanned from 1914 to 1935. Initially a star left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, he rose to prominence as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth is widely regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 as one of its inaugural members.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1902: Ruth Breaks AL single-season mark

On July 29, 1919, Babe Ruth matched the AL single-season mark of 16 home runs, set by Ralph "Socks" Seybold in 1902.

1915: Ruth's Successful 1915 Season

In 1915, Babe Ruth finished the season with an 18-8 record as a pitcher and batted .315 with four home runs. Although the Red Sox won the AL pennant, Ruth was not called upon to pitch in the 1915 World Series but was used as a pinch hitter.

1916: Ruth's Dominance in 1916

In 1916, Babe Ruth had repeated pitching duels with Walter Johnson. Ruth went 23-12 for the season, with a 1.75 ERA and nine shutouts, both of which led the league. The Red Sox won the pennant and World Series, with Ruth winning Game 2 in 14 innings.

1918: Ruth's 1918 Season

In 1918, Babe Ruth primarily played as an outfielder due to World War I shortening the season. He hit .300 with 11 home runs, tying for the major league home run title. He also had a 13–7 pitching record with a 2.22 ERA. In 1968 and 1969, there were considerations to adjust his recorded home run statistics.

1918: Red Sox Win 1918 World Series

In 1918, the Red Sox won their third pennant in four years and faced the Chicago Cubs in the World Series. Babe Ruth pitched and won Game One, a 1-0 shutout. He also pitched in Game Four, which the Red Sox won, giving Ruth his second win of the Series. The Red Sox won the Series four-games-to-two. He also set a record for consecutive scoreless innings that stood for over 40 years.

1918: Ruth ties career best

In July 1919, Babe Ruth tied his career-best of 11 home runs from 1918.

1919: Speculation about Ruth's 1920 Performance

Baseball statistician Bill James theorized that Babe Ruth's 1920 explosion might have happened in 1919 under different circumstances, such as a full season, less pitching, and a different home field.

1920: Cleveland Wins World Series

In 1920, Cleveland won the World Series.

1921: Ruth Breaks Home Run Record and Leads Yankees to Pennant

In 1921, Babe Ruth broke Roger Connor's career home run record and set a new single-season record with 59 home runs, leading the Yankees to their first pennant.

1921: Yankees Lose the World Series to the Giants

In the 1921 World Series, the Yankees lost to the New York Giants, five games to three. Ruth hit .316 with one home run but was injured during the series.

April 18, 1923: Yankee Stadium Opens

On April 18, 1923, Yankee Stadium opened, and Babe Ruth hit the first home run in the new ballpark, quickly dubbed "the House that Ruth Built".

1923: Yankees Win AL Pennant and World Series

In 1923, the Yankees, led by Babe Ruth, dominated the season, securing the AL pennant by a significant 17-game margin. Ruth achieved a career-high .393 batting average, tied for the most home runs in the major leagues with 41, and hit 45 doubles. The Yankees faced the Giants in the World Series for the third consecutive year and won their first World Series championship. Ruth's performance in the series included a .368 batting average, three home runs, and a slugging percentage of 1.000.

1924: Ruth Wins AL Batting Title

In 1924, despite the Yankees battling injuries and a strong challenge from the Senators, Babe Ruth won his only AL batting title with a .378 average and led the league with 46 home runs.

1926: Yankees Win Pennant, World Series Loss

In 1926, Babe Ruth returned to form, batting .372 with 47 home runs and 146 RBIs, leading the Yankees to a pennant win. In the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ruth hit three home runs in Game Four. However, the Yankees lost the series in Game Seven when Ruth was thrown out attempting to steal second base.

1927: World Series Ring

In 1927, Babe Ruth won a World Series ring.

1927: Yankees Dominate, Ruth Breaks Home Run Record

In 1927, the New York Yankees, known as Murderers' Row, dominated baseball, winning a then-AL-record 110 games and the AL pennant by 19 games. Babe Ruth broke his own single-season home run record on September 30th, hitting his 60th homer. The Yankees then swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series.

1928: Yankees Win World Series

In 1928, the Yankees overcame a mid-season slump to clinch the pennant. Babe Ruth hit 54 home runs, ending the season on a slump, and the Yankees swept the favored Cardinals in the World Series. Ruth batted .625 and hit three home runs in Game Four.

1932: 1932 World Series Against the Cubs

In 1932, the Yankees played the Chicago Cubs in the World Series, marked by animosity due to a dispute over World Series shares. During Game Three in Chicago, amidst hostile crowds, Babe Ruth allegedly pointed towards center field before hitting a home run, which became known as Babe Ruth's called shot. The Yankees won the game and clinched the series the next day.

1932: Yankees Win Pennant

In the 1932 season, the Yankees went 107–47 and won the pennant. Ruth's effectiveness had decreased somewhat, but he still hit .341 with 41 home runs and 137 RBIs.

July 13, 1934: 700th Career Home Run

On July 13, 1934, Babe Ruth hit his 700th career home run. Despite a .288 batting average with 22 home runs, it was considered "merely mortal" compared to his earlier performance. He was also selected to the AL All-Star team.

May 25, 1935: Last Great Game

On May 25, 1935, Babe Ruth played one of his last great games in Pittsburgh, going 4-for-4 with three home runs, including his final career home run, which was the first ball hit completely out of Forbes Field. He retired shortly after on June 2.

1936: Hall of Fame Induction

In 1936, Babe Ruth was one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, however, he was the only one not offered a managerial position.

1961: Ford Breaks Ruth's Record

In 1961, Whitey Ford broke Babe Ruth's World Series record of 29+2⁄3 consecutive scoreless innings, which had stood for more than 40 years.

1968: Special Committee Rules Change

In 1968, the Special Baseball Records Committee unanimously ruled that a play on July 8, 1918 should be counted as a home run.

1969: Greatest Player Ever

In 1969, Babe Ruth was named baseball's Greatest Player Ever in a ballot commemorating the 100th anniversary of professional baseball.

1969: Committee Reverses Decision

In 1969, the Special Baseball Records Committee reversed its 1968 decision, in part due to preserving Ruth's home run total.

1978: Guidry Ties Ruth's Shutout Record

In 1978, Ron Guidry tied Babe Ruth's 1916 league record for shutouts in a season by a left-handed pitcher, with nine shutouts.

1983: Honored with US Postal Stamp

In 1983, the United States Postal Service honored Babe Ruth with a twenty-cent stamp.

1991: Shore's Feat Amended

In 1991, Major League Baseball's (MLB) Committee on Statistical Accuracy amended Ernie Shore's 1917 feat of retiring 26 batters after relieving Babe Ruth to be listed as a combined no-hitter.

1998: Ranked Greatest Baseball Player

In 1998, The Sporting News ranked Babe Ruth as number one on the list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players".

1999: Named to All-Century Team

In 1999, baseball fans named Babe Ruth to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In the same year, the Associated Press named Ruth the greatest athlete of the 20th century, while an ESPN poll ranked him as the second-greatest North American athlete of the century.

2005: World Series Game Length Record

In 2005, another World Series game of 14 innings was played, matching the length of the game Babe Ruth won in 1916.

2017: World Series Ring Sold

In 2017, Charlie Sheen sold Babe Ruth's 1927 World Series ring for $2 million, a record for a championship ring.

2018: Posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom

In 2018, Babe Ruth was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump; his grandson Tom Stevens accepted the award on his behalf.