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 “Babe Ruth and Kids” Photo Gallery
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Happy Birthday, Babe!

Many thanks to Don Stokes for reminding us that today is the birthday of the great Bambino, Babe Ruth, born on this date in 1895, 127 years ago.  Don also added a real nice colorization of the Babe which I’ve chosen for the featured photo.

As is my custom, I always like to recognize this historic date in baseball history by reposting one of the many articles I’ve written about the Babe over the years. Here’s a short one I wrote a few years ago recalling the Babe and his love of children: 

“Me and kids get along just fine!” –George Herman “Babe” Ruth

Okay, maybe it wasn’t the proper King’s English, but his feelings came out loud and clear. Babe genuinely loved kids – kids of all ages. And the feeling was reciprocated. The kids loved him right back! He was always glad to sign autographs, take pictures with children, visit sick kids in hospitals, or just act childish himself and fool around with them. He would do anything just to make a kid happy.

Certainly, many of his appearances in hospitals for sick children likely were “photo ops” orchestrated by his ever-present agent, Christy Walsh. But no one can deny that the Babe’s affection for children was truly genuine. It’s a major reason why he became such a nationally beloved figure. 

While putting together a recent post about Babe Ruth with the Boston Braves, I came on to this neat photo of the Bambino with a couple of kids.

Since he’s in a Braves uniform, it must be from 1935. That also got me thinking about his great baseball nickname “Babe.” As we all know, just seems to fit him to the tee, but where actually did it come from? A little research on the “Babe Ruth Central” website, and I found the answer.

 

Apparently it all started in 1914 when young George Herman Ruth was still living at St. Mary’s orphanage in Baltimore, and he was visited by Jack Dunn, the owner of the minor league Baltimore Orioles. He had heard about George Ruth’s playing abilities and came to see for himself just how good he was. According to information on the website, here’s what developed:

 

“Mr. Dunn was impressed — so impressed that he signed George to a contract shortly. George had just turned 19 and, due to the laws at that time, Mr. Dunn needed to sign papers which made him Babe’s legal guardian. When George joined the Orioles, he was very excited, but also very nervous because he hadn’t really lived outside of St. Mary’s School since he was seven.”

 

“In the first weeks in the real world, Babe didn’t know what to do with himself besides play baseball. He also didn’t really know how to act with people. He had been used to always following the orders that were given to him by the brothers at St. Mary’s. And, his only friends had been some of the other boys. So, George looked to his manager and legal guardian, Jack Dunn, for his new “orders” and George followed him around everywhere. The other players thought this was very funny and they’d say, “There’s Jack with his newest babe’. The name ‘Babe’ stuck, and overtime as a baseball player, he became known as ‘Babe Ruth,’ a name that everyone would recognize all over the world.”

 

There’s no doubt the Babe truly loved kids. And so, as we remember the birthday of George Herman Ruth today, I hope you get a chance to glance through the nice photo gallery I put together of the Babe with kids! Let’s face it…there’ll never be another like him!

Gary Livacari 

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Information: Excerpts and quotes edited from “Babe Ruth Central” website