June 2, 1935 – All good things must come to an end, in fact even the great careers of athletes. It occurred on this day that future Baseball Hall of Fame legend Babe Ruth announced his retirement as a player at 40 years of age. Ruth, most famously of the New York Yankees, started his career as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox from 1914 through 1919.
He was then famously traded to the Yankees and batted himself into immortality of the pinstriped team as he played in New York for 15 years. Few people realize that he in fact spent his final partial season as a player back in Boston in the NL as a member of the Boston Braves in 1935 before issuing this retirement notice.
He finished his career as the MLB’s leading Home Run hitter with 714, and that record lasted for almost 50 years until a future Braves player named Hank Aaron broke it.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
The Early History of Sports Betting
In the eyes of many, sports betting is a relatively new phenomenon. A lot
Willis Brennan: The Chicago Cardinal Who Helped Solve One of America’s Most Notorious Crimes!
On November 6, 1927, a few thousand of his closest friends gathered to honor
The Ultimate Salary Showdown: Ancient Roman Gladiators vs. Modern Sports Superstars
In the book of Niccolò Arcangeli, “Gladiators. The stars of the first Talent show
The 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates: A Championship Season to Remember
If you’re a regular reader of my articles or a listener of my podcasts,
John Wooden: A Two-Time Hall of Famer and Basketball Legend For The Ages
This is a story about excellence. There are some people out there who are
The Legacy of the 1970s Pittsburgh Pirates: A Dominant Decade
Although a player’s strike caused the 1972 season to start a week and a
1899: The Cardinals’ First Season
Before player drafts, salary caps, and heck, even before the National Football League, we
1969 New York Jets (A Year After The Guarantee)
Much has been said and written about the 1968 New York Jets, and with