Babe Ruth ---- His Life and Legend Review

Babe Ruth was one of the greatest players to ever play the game of baseball, finishing with 714 home-runs and a .342 career batting average. Not only that, people forget that when he first started out, he was a pitcher who ended up with a career record of 92 wins and 44 losses, with a minuscule 2.24 ERA. Beyond all of his on the field accomplishments and the championships he brought to New York, he also led a wild life that often takes a backstage to how well he played the game. Author Kal Wagenheim has presented a biography that covers both aspects of his life, and how this orphan from a Baltimore reform school became the idol to millions of fans.

The format of the biography is set up in an interesting fashion, where is life (much like a baseball game) is split up into 9 innings. It begins with Little George in the first inning and progresses to his last days and induction into the first class of Hall of Fame players in chapter 9. Along the way, it is a journey towards some major accomplishments on the field, through several different marriages off the field, and how the myths that surrounded Babe Ruth soon became ever larger than the man himself. By the time he was gone from the game he was an undisputed legend, forever enshrined as one of the all time greats.

Wagenheim does a really great job at presenting everything that has to do with Babe Ruth, while letting the reader form their own opinions on this man that saved baseball. He is called that because after the Chicago White Sox threw the World Series, baseball was in a spiral until this guy came along who seemed to only hit home runs. He did it with such ease that sports writers ran out of adjectives and nicknames to impress upon their readers just what this man was doing. I think it was best described when he was called the Sultan of Swat for the first time, or when Yankee Stadium grew the nickname "The House that Ruth Built." Truly baseball owes a lot to Babe Ruth he did for the game, and Kal presents all of those contributions.

The other side of story that Wagenheim tales is that of the rule-breaker who often fought with his managers and served many a suspension during his days with the Yankees. He was fined over and over again, and for all intents and purposes could also be viewed as the bad-boy of baseball during his career. Wagenheim touches on how that image in the clubhouse may have cost Ruth a chance at being a manager (like he wanted) when is playing career was over, and further expounds upon those years after baseball. At many times this is a very exciting read that sheds light on many of the myths that surround Ruth, but also shines on a spotlight on all of the great things that he did for the game. Because of Ruth the entire game of baseball has changed and evolved.

A man that lived fast and hard for a number of years, Babe Ruth's story is told with an interesting and informational methodology that any fan of the game should take a moment to read. The 271 page book will give you every fact you every wanted to know about Babe Ruth, and plenty of things that you may have never known. Did you know he tried to steal second (against managers orders) to become the last out of a deciding World Series game? The book talks about that and so much more, weaving stories and game recaps with anecdotes from people who knew him and many great photographs from the time with Ruth. This is a highly recommended biography that I have really enjoyed, and one which will stay in my collection always.



ISBN: 0-8050-2099-3