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
Sports History On This Day: June 17
June 17, 1915 – Chicago Cubs relief pitcher George “Zip” Zabel is brought out of the
Sports History On This Day: June 16
June 16, 1968 – Legendary golfer Lee Trevino won his first major title at the
Sports History On This Day: June 15
June 15, 1970 – An exciting 18-hole playoff took place at the LPGA Championship at
Pro Football Hall of Fame Talk (w/ Vinny Lospinuso)
Vinny Lospinuso rides shotgun in the DeLorean with me this week to talk all
1970s Cincinnati Reds – “The Big Red Machine”
Their nickname, “Big Red Machine,” was no exaggeration. After winning the National League pennant
Sports History On This Day: June 14
June 14, 1934 – It was a BIG night on the fight card at Madison
Sports History On This Day: June 13
June 13, 1890 – An American won the US National Championship Women’s Tennis at the
The Big Muddies: Two of the Muddiest Games in NFL Playoff History
The NFL saw two of its muddiest playoff games of all time during the