With due respect to baseball stars from Jackie Robinson (1919–1972; see entry under 1940s—Sports and Games in volume 3) to Mickey Mantle (1931–1995) to Mark McGwire (1963—), Babe Ruth is without doubt the most celebrated baseball (see entry under 1900s—Sports and Games in volume 1) hero of the twentieth century.

For over two decades beginning in 1914, George Herman Ruth—whose nicknames included "The Bambino" and "The Sultan of Swat"—ruled the world of baseball. His most prominent records have been broken. His record of sixty home runs in a season in 1927 was eclipsed thirty-four years later by Roger Maris (1934–1985) and broken yet again by McGwire and Sammy Sosa (1968–) in 1998 and Barry Bonds (1964–) in 2001. Ruth's career record of 714 round-trippers was bested in the early 1970s by Hank Aaron (1934–). Yet Ruth remains the most immortal of all baseball immortals for many reasons. His larger-than-life presence, his lovable personality, and...