Babe Ruth

George Herman Ruth, Jr., was born on February 6, 1895. He grew up to become one of the biggest professional athletes of all time. He was born to working-class parents, who lived in a brick row house in Baltimore, Maryland. The home would later become the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum. By the age of seven, Ruth was deemed to be a wild child; running around the streets at all hours, and throwing eggs at police officers. In 1902, his parents sent him to the St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, located in Baltimore, Maryland. This is the place where Ruth was introduced to the two most important influences in his life; his mentor, Brother Mathias, and his key to fame, baseball. Mathias was strict, but compassionate and most importantly, he was Ruth's main source of reliance and support in the orphanage. They would work for hours at a time, improving Babe's skills. Mathias can also be credited with turning George into a pitcher.

It was as a pitcher, that George was first noticed by a baseball team in 1914. Jack Dunn the owner of the Baltimore Orioles, heard about an 18 year old named George Ruth. Ruth was part of a touring baseball team from St. Mary's Industrial School. For George to play with the team, Dunn had to become his legal guardian. It was required by law that a minor, was to have a legal guardian until the age of 21. So with Jack Dunn as his trustee, George became a Baltimore Oriole. This is where Ruth would get the famous name Babe. Just like that, the nickname Babe Ruth stuck, and would follow him for a lifetime.

Babe Ruth was known as a generous man, and the fans adored him. Ruth would spend hours after a game signing autographs for every fan there.