Babe Ruth

He is perhaps the greatest sports hero in American history, a man whose nicknames, "the Sultan of Swat" and "the Babe," evoke the combination of power and innocence that made him so unique. Babe Ruth was more than a ball player. He was a public figure whose popularity transcended that of any game. Profane and earthy, he had a simplicity and warmth of spirit that were electrifying. But his greatness resides on the baseball diamond, where he set a roster of records capped by his 60-home run season. Here is the Babe's story, from his youth in Baltimore and his early career as a Red Sox pitcher to his years of glory in Yankee pinstripes, and beyond. Babe Ruth would be useful for classes on American History, Sports History and American Culture. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

• actuated
• deferments
• exhilarating
• hierarchy
• mercenary
• parole
• revelry
• rhetoric
• stigma
• tranquillity
• unbeknownst
• unrelenting

1. Americans love to elevate sports figures to the status of national heroes. Do sports figures have any obligation to the public to set examples in their personal and professional lives?

2. Babe Ruth's childhood was erratic and tumultuous. How did his childhood experiences influence his career and his life off the diamond?

3. Babe Ruth was truly an American hero during his era. What made Babe Ruth such a hero? Why did Americans place him on a pedestal?

4. In 1919, the Chicago Black Sox scandal seriously eroded America's faith in the game of baseball. What was the scandal about? How did Babe Ruth restore the faith in the game?

5. Yankee Stadium is one of the most famous sports arenas in the world. Why is Yankee Stadium known as "the house that Ruth built?"

6. Babe Ruth was a man who lived fast and hard. How did his personal excesses affect his career and his life?

7. Why is baseball "America's favorite pastime?"

8. As Babe Ruth's career was winding down, he was signed first by the Boston Braves and then by the Brooklyn Dodgers. These clubs had promised Ruth a managerial position, but wanted Ruth for other reasons. How did these two ball clubs exploit Ruth in the twilight of his career?

1. Write an obituary for Babe Ruth. What would you include and how would you convey his importance to baseball and American popular culture?

2. Babe Ruth was the largest sports hero of his day. Compare Ruth's life and career with some of the famous sports figures of today. What are the similarities and differences between these athletes? How does the time period in which they live(d) influence their careers, lifestyles, and impact on American culture?

3. Create a commemorative poster for Babe Ruth's induction into the Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

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