In a time when baseball, reeling from the 1919 Black Sox scandal, declining attendance and declining credibility, needed a revitalization, Babe Ruth’s bat saved the day. The most vibrant, dominant, and popular athlete in American history, the Babe turned baseball on its head, sparking fan interest and excitement, and the birth of the most enduring dynasty in sports history.

The Roaring Twenties were epitomized by the Yankee slugger. He retired as baseball’s all-time leader in home runs, runs batted in, and walks, and his name has come to signify greatness and largesse. He was the prototypical American hero.