SUMMARY
- Babe Ruth, known as the Sultan of Swat, is a legendary figure in baseball history.
- There is speculation about Babe Ruth's heritage, with hints that he may have had Black roots.
When talking about baseball history, one legendary figure inevitably steals the spotlight. None other than the Sultan of Swat, Babe Ruth. Renowned for his exploits with both the Yankees and the Red Sox, Ruth is often heralded as the spark who singlehandedly resurrected the game from the doldrums of the dead-ball era.
That was a simpler era, where people went to dazzling ballgames, and forgot about their troubles for a while. As they looked on at the unfolding spectacle on the field – all thanks to the Bambino.
The stands would buzz with excitement as Ruth sent home runs soaring into the waiting hands of eager fans. It is said that he not only played the game but embodied its very essence. It’s no exaggeration to say that Babe Ruth overshadowed the entire baseball landscape in his time.
MLB‘s history is woven with complex racial dynamics. Babe Ruth, the towering figure of 20th-century baseball, stands as a symbol of an era when professional sports were predominantly white. Intriguingly, there are hints that Ruth, often recognized for his distinctive features like his ‘broad lips’ might have had a mixed heritage.
This mostly unknown speculation is rooted in the belief held by many of his peers that he had Black roots. So, let’s delve deeper into the roots of this iconic figure – where exactly did Babe Ruth hail from, and what were his nationality and ethnicity.
Where was Babe Ruth born?
An anecdote recounted by sportswriter Fred Lieb on medium.com involves a 1920s hunting trip in Georgia with Ty Cobb. Cobb refused to share a cabin with Ruth, “I’ve never bedded down with a n*** and I’m not going to start now.” Ruth had garnered attention but sometimes not the good kind. Since diversity wasn’t celebrated back then, he used to face racial slurs from a few opponents occasionally.
However, turning to his nationality, Babe Ruth drew his first breath on February 6, 1895, in the heart of Baltimore’s pig town. He had German roots reaching back to Prussia and Hanover. His father worked as a counterman in a family-owned grocery and saloon on Frederick Street.
Ruth’s early years are shrouded in mystery. Particularly the question as to why at the age of seven, he was sent to a reformatory and orphanage. The St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, a place he called home for the next 12 years. The story of how he found baseball there also has a sense of mystery to it.
Some say it was his habit of breaking windows during the street ball. While others believe Brother Herman, the school’s athletic director, encouraged him to join a team. In 1914, Ruth’s journey in baseball kicked off marking the beginning of his remarkable journey toward becoming the legendary baseball icon we know today.