Babe Ruth Essay Research Paper Ruth in

Babe Ruth Essay, Research Paper Ruth in 1898 at the age of 3. ? The Babe Ruth Museum On February 6, 1895, Kate Schamberger Ruth gave birth to her first child. George Herman Ruth, Jr., was born in the house of his grandparents in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the first of eight children born to Kate and George Herman Ruth. Unfortunately, most of the children died in infancy, and only George, Jr., and his sister Mamie survived to lead a full life. Ruth?s father worked as a bartender and ultimately opened his own tavern. He and his wife spent little time with their son because they worked long hours. Contrary to popular belief, young George was not an orphan. For the first seven years of his life he was with his parents, but he survived without guidance on the dirty, crowded

streets of the Baltimore riverfront. Young George experienced little, if any, real love from his parents who made no time for their son. Ultimately, they felt that they could no longer care for their son and on June 13, 1902, George Herman Ruth took his seven-year-old to St. Mary?s Industrial School for Boys. Not only did he place young George in the school, but he signed over custody of the boy to the Xaverian Brothers, a Catholic Order of Jesuit Missionaries who ran St. Mary?s. St. Mary?s was both a reformatory and orphanage, which was surrounded by a wall similar to a prison with guards on duty. There were approximately 800 children at St. Mary?s, which had four dormitories that housed about 200 kids each. George, Jr., who by the age of seven had already been involved with

mischievous altercations, was classified as “incorrigible” upon his admission. Although for a few brief periods he was returned to live with his family, he was always sent back to St. Mary?s, and no one ever came to visit him while he was there. Ruth with one of the Xaverian Brothers at St. Mary’s. ? The Babe Ruth Museum Perhaps the one positive thing stemming from his time at St. Mary?s was meeting Brother Mathias. Brother Mathias was the main disciplinarian at St. Mary?s. He spent a great deal of time with George, Jr., providing the guidance and support that the youngster did not receive from his parents. He even helped young Ruth develop as a baseball player. It is because of his difficult childhood and the positive influence of Brother Mathias that Babe Ruth came to

love children and why all of his life he went out of his way to do things for kids, especially those in need. Baseball was a popular and primary form of recreation for the boys at St. Mary?s and young George Ruth, Jr., displayed his potential at a young age. He played all positions on the field, was an excellent pitcher and certainly had the ability to hit the ball. By his late teens Ruth had developed into a major league baseball prospect. On February 27, 1914, at the age of nineteen, Ruth was signed to his first professional baseball contract by Jack Dunn, manager of the Baltimore Orioles, at the time a minor league franchise in the International League. Because Ruth?s parents had signed over custody of the youngster to St. Mary?s he was supposed to remain at the school until

the age of twenty-one. To circumvent this, Dunn became Ruth?s legal guardian. Jack Dunn was well known for picking up youngsters whom he thought had major league potential. When George Ruth, Jr., appeared with Dunn at the ball park the other players started cracking jokes, and one of the players quipped, “Well, here?s Jack?s newest Babe.” The rest of the players also started referring to young George as “Babe” and the name stuck. Thus began the storied career of Babe Ruth. Just five months after being signed by the Baltimore Orioles, Babe Ruth was sold to the Boston Red Sox. He made his debut as a major leaguer in Fenway Park on July 11, 1914, pitching against the Cleveland Indians. In the mornings, Ruth would frequent Landers? Coffee Shop in Boston, and it is here that