Entitled: "Babe Ruth, in baseball uniform, holding baseball bat." George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr. (February 6, 1895 - August 16, 1948) was an American baseball player who spent 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) playing for three teams (1914-1935). He originally entered the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox as a starting pitcher, but after he was sold to the New York Yankees in 1919, he converted to a full-time right fielder. He subsequently became one of the league's most prolific hitters and with his home run hitting prowess, he helped the Yankees win seven pennants and four World Series titles. Ruth retired in 1935 after a short stint with the Boston Braves, and the following year, he became one of the first five players to be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture. He died on August 16, 1948, of cancer at age 53. Photograph attributed to Irwin, La Broad, & Pudlin, 1920