The 1920's were a time of change in the United States. For the first time in history, more people were living in cities than in the country. The United States was also wealthier than it had ever been. New methods of transport had been introduced. A lot more technology was also introduced, such as radios. This had made it easier to stay up to date with new stories.
People turned to sports as a way to get over the Great War and to pass time. Americans were provided with the economic boom, the automobile became the main means of transport. People also got their hands on many other new devices. Their timing for switching to watching sports as a new hobby was perfect as the got the privilege of seeing many stars such as: Jack Dempsey, The four horsemen of Notre dame, Suzanne leglen, Eddie shore and many more. But there was one more, the biggest of them all, Babe Ruth.
Baseball was becoming the "national pastime" as more people starting following it. More people went to games and would play it for fun. The most popular sports figure in the United States in the 1920s was baseball player, George Herman "babe" Ruth, a New York Yankees player. He hit more home runs than any other player ever and excited fans by his outgoing personality. He was a perfect example of a hero in the Roaring Twenties.
Babe Ruth was known for getting the most home runs out of any player in the history of baseball. The aspects of today’s games leads back to Ruth. Home runs became the most important and dominating factor o the game, besides good pitching.
At the age of 19 Babe Ruth began his baseball career, on July 11th of 1914 he played in the big league with the Boston red sox. His career was many years full of success, often referred to as the greatest base...
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... Ruth, along with others, came at a time when the country was looking for, and needed heroes, and the new commercial radio stations of the 1920s gave people more access to them. Many people began to admire athletes such as the boxer Jack Dempsey, or golfers Bobby Jones and Walter Hagan, and other baseball players like Lou Gehrig and Ty Cobb. The country was in desperate need of distractions from the pain and suffering that had gone on during the war, and these men provided it.
Just about every sport in the 1920s expanded in one way or another by the end of the decade. As people's income was rising, therefore having more money to spend on luxuries, the attendance for sporting events also began to increase. Popularity of the games and ways for the media to tell what was going on were growing as well. In fact, the 1920s was called "The Golden Age of Sports."
The New York Yankees of 1927 were a high-powered machine lead by some of the greats of all time in baseball. This baseball team was composed of seven Hall of Famers, six players including: Earle Combs, George Herman (Babe Ruth), Lou Gehrig, Herb Pennock, Tony, Lazzeri, and Waite Hoyt, and their Manager, Miller Higgins. (New York Yankees Hall of Fame Register, 70) The team had a no-mercy philosophy and had a sense of confidence exceptionally high noted by Babe Ruth: "It was murder, we never even worried five or six runs behind. Wham! Wham! Wham! And wham! No matter who was pitching." The 1920's were an "economic boom for Americans. Now people had more time on their hands with the inventions such as the car and other household products. Those who chose not to be swept up in the Jazz revolution chose to lose themselves in sporting events during the '20s. (Marshall, 1) The newfound confidence propelled the 1927 Yankees to embody the spirit of the 1920's.
But a sports writer named Tris Speaker thought that maybe he should have stayed as a pitcher when he joined the Yankees when he said this, “Ruth made a grave mistake when he gave up pitching. Working once a week, he might have lasted a long time and become a great star. After Babe’s first year with the Yankees, he already looked like he was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime talent. He brought so much power to the plate and so much excitement to the game, it was unreal. In his first year with the Yankees, he had a .376 batting average with a insane 54 homeruns, the most ever in a season by a player. That wasn’t the only year he set the homerun record. The next year he hit 59 homeruns, and then he hit 60 homeruns in 1927. In Nine years with the Yankees so far, Ruth as a .355 batting average and an enormous amount of homeruns with 467. Teammates have loved playing with Ruth, including one teammate Lefty Gomez, as he said this, ”No one hit homeruns the way Babe did. They were something special. They were like homing pigeons. The ball would leave the bat, pause briefly, suddenly gain its bearings then take off for the
In 1947 Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers desperately wanted Robinson to play for him and his team. He would become the first black MLB player since 1889 when baseball became discriminated. In his first year he was the Rookie of the Year. He debuted in the International League with the Montreal Royals. This the led to Branch’s interest in Robinson since he was considered one of the best players in the International League and considering it was his first time playing with white men.
Jackie Robinson changed the way baseball is looked at by Americans. Also, he broke a huge barrier in American History. Robinson helped get rid of segregation. He also, is down as one on of the most respected men in baseball history. Not only a wonderful ball player, but also a wonderful man who went through so much and helped create a path for current and future African American baseball players.
There are many great players that played during this era; however, there can only be one great from 1910 to 1920. Many people know the main stars, but there are other great not as well known players from this era too. There are about eight players that totally overpowered all others in the game at this time. Three pitchers and four fielders dominated over all their competitors. These pitching greats are known as Howard “Smokey Joe” Wood, Ed Walsh, and Walter Johnson. The best fielders of the 1910’s are the household greats Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth, “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, and Ty Cobb. These seven players are listed because of their amazing achievements during this decade and even what some did after.
Most sports were popular in the 1920s, but baseball was king. Some of the best players in the history of baseball played during the 1920s. One of the most famous players of all time, Babe Ruth, helped make baseball what it is today. In 1913, the New York Yankees baseball team shared stadiums with the Giants football team.
Sports popularity skyrocketed in the 1920”s becoming a big part of the American populations lives. Boxing was able to attract the entertainment dollar with legendary fighters and great fights, boxers became famous in the world and the boxing matches became the biggest must see events. Sports grew in popularity during the 1920’s, and boxing was one of many sports that got popular during this time (Boxing).
This record stood until 1961 when Roger Maris hit 61 home runs. He might have been the best baseball player who ever played the game. He led the Yankees to seven World Series and made two million dollars in his career. Jack "the Manassa Mauler" Dempsey was one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. He was a heavyweight champion and fought and won against Georges Carpentier.
The world is a very different place than what it was in the 1920’s; however, despite our differences, many things have stayed the same. No matter what, there’s always something to refer back to. Nearly one-hundred years ago, the 1920’s holds a great deal of historical events that changed the world. One of these historical events is when Babe Ruth changed the outlook on negro leagues and african american baseball players. Ruth could do many things that other people couldn’t in baseball. He in general was an amazing baseball player, but he also did something much more, something that would change the world’s views of not just him, but everybody.
of all time. Babe had a 92 and 44 record, 67.6%, and a 2.24 career earned- run
Baseball has drastically changed over the years, especially in the cheating scandals of steroids; Babe Ruth set a great example by excelling in the sport and doing it clean, contrasting with Mark McGwire. Their existence shows how society excepted honesty and doing it the clean way in Babe’s era and how society accepts the scandals and dishonesty of Mark’s era. The Great Babe Ruth had amazing baseball career, breaking records, playing everyday, and being a well rounded person, without the assistance of illegal substances. On the other hand, Mark McGwire drifted to the assistance and cheated the game of baseball. Society has changed with all of the scandals and dishonesty. Society now a days wants honesty and non cheaters. Both the Babe and Mark have taught us all life lessons they we should pay attention to as a whole country.
The 1920s in America, known as the "Roaring Twenties", was a time of celebration after a devastating war. It was a period of time in America characterised by prosperity and optimism. There was a general feeling of discontinuity associated with modernity and a break with traditions.
Through out the 1920’s many inventions were created that altered human civilization. Transportation was successfully mastered. Radio communication was becoming more common and medicine was saving more and more lives every day.
Baseball was first introduced into the American culture, by English immigrants in the early 18th century, and its popularity slow grew. It wasn’t until the Civil War the popularity of the game spread, and both Union and Confederate soldiers played baseball during lulls in the fighting. After Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, soldiers from both the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate) and the Army of the Potomac (Union) played baseball. (Schackelford Jul 4, 2009) This was the beginning of the American people love of Baseball began. It was also the first mention of baseball being the national game. During the bloodiest war in our countries history Baseball was there to help the two sides heal. It was another fourteen years till 1879 when Football would be invented.
The 1920s were a period of economic growth and change. Real wages for most workers increased while stock prices increased as much as they had in the previous three decades; for the first time, 2,500, the majority of Americans lived in cities and towns. The appearance of current medicine permitted child mortality rates to decline significantly among the rich, but fewer other Americans appreciated regular admission to physicians.