Issue Date: May 28, 1998
City: Washington, DC
Quantity: 12,533,000
Printed By: Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed
Perforations: 11.5
Color: Multicolored

 

Born in Baltimore, George Herman “Babe” Ruth went on to become perhaps the greatest baseball player in sports history. He began his baseball career in 1914 as a pitcher, but showing even more talent at bat, he later became an outfielder. By the time he joined the New York Yankees in 1920, he had already gained a reputation as one of the greatest hitters in the game.

 

Ruth possessed a flamboyant playing style and became immensely popular with fans and players alike. This was no more evident than in 1923, when the new Yankee Stadium was nicknamed “the House That Ruth Built.” Crowds packed the stadium game after game, to see what great feats Babe would accomplish that day.

 

Not only did Ruth set the standard for home runs in nearly every year he played, he also set many other records, including 2,056 career walks and 72 games in which he hit two or more home runs. He even hit three home runs in a single World Series game twice.

 

Possibly the most successful season Ruth experienced was 1927, as part of the legendary “Murderer’s Row.” That year Babe Ruth batted .356 and brought in 164 runs. Also in 1927, he hit 60 home runs, more homers than any other team in the league and a record that would stand for over thirty years.