On May 25, 1935, Babe Ruth hit his 714th home run at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a record that stood for almost 40 years. This game was one of Ruth’s last, and the last home run of his career, as he retired eight days later. Ruth hit three home runs and drove in six runs in this memorable game, setting a Major League Baseball record that stood until 1974 when Hank Aaron surpassed it on his way to 755 home runs. Ruth’s impressive tally of home runs was only the second time he hit three home runs in a single game.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on February 6, 1895, Ruth was the first of eight children. His father was a saloon keeper, and at age seven, Ruth was sent to an orphanage due to truancy. It was there that he was signed as a minor league pitcher by the Baltimore Orioles at 19. Ruth, known as “The Bambino,” had a commanding stature standing over six feet tall and weighing more than 200 pounds. In 1920, he was traded to the New York Yankees where he shined as a pitcher, winning three World Series games and setting records for scoreless innings.
Ruth’s career as a Yankee got off to a slow start in 1920 due to a strained knee, but he turned it around and set a Major League record for the month with 11 home runs. He finished the year with an impressive total of 54 home runs, out-homering 14 of the other 15 major league teams. On May 25, 1935, while playing for the Boston Braves, Ruth hit his final home run, a memorable shot that soared out of the ballpark. The ball is now memorialized as number 714 in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and Ruth’s tally surpassed the previous record holder, Roger Connor.
After his retirement, Ruth was elected to the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, alongside other legendary players like Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner. Ruth passed away from throat cancer on August 16, 1948, leaving behind a legacy as one of baseball’s greatest players. His record for career home runs stood until April 8, 1974, when Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run, breaking Ruth’s record 39 years later. Babe Ruth’s impact on the game of baseball and his lasting legacy as one of the sport’s most iconic players continue to be celebrated by fans and historians alike.
