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The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth
He was the Sultan of Swat. The Caliph of Clout. The Wizard of Whack. The Bambino. And simply, to his teammates, the Big Bam. From the award-winning author of the New York Times bestseller Ted Williams comes the thoroughly original, definitively ambitious, and exhilaratingly colorful biography of the largest legend ever to loom in baseball—and in the history of organized sports.
“[Montville is] one of America’s best sportswriters.” — Chicago Tribune
Babe Ruth was more than baseball’s original superstar. For eighty-five years, he has remained the sport’s reigning titan. He has been named Athlete of the Century . . . more than once. But who was this large, loud, enigmatic man? Why is so little known about his childhood, his private life, and his inner thoughts? In The Big Bam , Leigh Montville, whose recent New York Times bestselling biography of Ted Williams garnered glowing reviews and offered an exceptionally intimate look at Williams’s life, brings his trademark touch to this groundbreaking, revelatory portrait of the Babe.
Based on newly discovered documents and interviews—including pages from Ruth’s personal scrapbooks — The Big Bam traces Ruth’s life from his bleak childhood in Baltimore to his brash entrance into professional baseball, from Boston to New York and into the record books as the world’s most explosive slugger and cultural luminary. Montville explores every aspect of the man, paying particular attention to the myths that have always surrounded him. Did he really hit the “called shot” homer in the 1932 World Series? Were his home runs really “the farthest balls ever hit” in countless ballparks around the country? Was he really part black—making him the first African American professional baseball superstar? And was Ruth the high-octane, womanizing, heavy-drinking “fatso” of legend . . . or just a boyish, rudderless quasi-orphan who did, in fact, take his training and personal conditioning quite seriously?
At a time when modern baseball is grappling with hyper-inflated salaries, free agency, and assorted controversies, The Big Bam brings back the pure glory days of the game. Leigh Montville operates at the peak of his abilities, exploring Babe Ruth in a way that intimately, and poignantly, illuminates a most remarkable figure.
“[Montville is] one of America’s best sportswriters.” — Chicago Tribune
Babe Ruth was more than baseball’s original superstar. For eighty-five years, he has remained the sport’s reigning titan. He has been named Athlete of the Century . . . more than once. But who was this large, loud, enigmatic man? Why is so little known about his childhood, his private life, and his inner thoughts? In The Big Bam , Leigh Montville, whose recent New York Times bestselling biography of Ted Williams garnered glowing reviews and offered an exceptionally intimate look at Williams’s life, brings his trademark touch to this groundbreaking, revelatory portrait of the Babe.
Based on newly discovered documents and interviews—including pages from Ruth’s personal scrapbooks — The Big Bam traces Ruth’s life from his bleak childhood in Baltimore to his brash entrance into professional baseball, from Boston to New York and into the record books as the world’s most explosive slugger and cultural luminary. Montville explores every aspect of the man, paying particular attention to the myths that have always surrounded him. Did he really hit the “called shot” homer in the 1932 World Series? Were his home runs really “the farthest balls ever hit” in countless ballparks around the country? Was he really part black—making him the first African American professional baseball superstar? And was Ruth the high-octane, womanizing, heavy-drinking “fatso” of legend . . . or just a boyish, rudderless quasi-orphan who did, in fact, take his training and personal conditioning quite seriously?
At a time when modern baseball is grappling with hyper-inflated salaries, free agency, and assorted controversies, The Big Bam brings back the pure glory days of the game. Leigh Montville operates at the peak of his abilities, exploring Babe Ruth in a way that intimately, and poignantly, illuminates a most remarkable figure.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published May 16, 2006
77 people are currently reading
1364 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Montville
20 books27 followersLeigh Montville is a highly respected sportswriter, columnist and author. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.Montville is married to Diane Foster and has two children. He lives in Massachusetts and is an ardent supporter of the Boston Red Sox.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
August 27, 2015
Good choice if you need a concise bio on the Babe.
An easy and unobtrusive read, The Big Bam is compact and streamlined, covering Babe Ruth's entire life in as much detail as the casual baseball fan needs.
Granted, I don't feel like I really know the man. Biography buffs will want something that digs deeper into his personal life. I know it's hard to come by, but detail on his childhood is scant here. And overall, this treads upon generally known Babe lore: womanizing, food and drink binges, turning the home run into the most important aspect of baseball.
Rabid baseball fans will desire more in depth analysis of his career. Being an all-encompassing bio means this doesn't delve too deep into season by season stats much beyond record-breaking totals and such.
For those with little-to-no knowledge of the man, this is the book for you! Going in, I knew the name, the legend, some of the stories, but I'd never read a bio on him, never researched him on Wikipedia or any website, so I finally got the well-rounded biography of the Babe that I was looking for.
An easy and unobtrusive read, The Big Bam is compact and streamlined, covering Babe Ruth's entire life in as much detail as the casual baseball fan needs.
Granted, I don't feel like I really know the man. Biography buffs will want something that digs deeper into his personal life. I know it's hard to come by, but detail on his childhood is scant here. And overall, this treads upon generally known Babe lore: womanizing, food and drink binges, turning the home run into the most important aspect of baseball.
Rabid baseball fans will desire more in depth analysis of his career. Being an all-encompassing bio means this doesn't delve too deep into season by season stats much beyond record-breaking totals and such.
For those with little-to-no knowledge of the man, this is the book for you! Going in, I knew the name, the legend, some of the stories, but I'd never read a bio on him, never researched him on Wikipedia or any website, so I finally got the well-rounded biography of the Babe that I was looking for.
August 2, 2015
I am a great baseball fan and this book beckoned me from the library shelves. I'm glad it did. It traces the life and career of probably the greatest baseball player in history, George Herman Ruth....the Babe, the Bambino, the Big Bam. Much has been written about the Babe, and there is as much mythology as fact that surrounds him.....the "called shot" and the "curse of the Bambino" come to mind. In fact he was brought up in a Catholic orphanage, taken under the wing of a baseball playing priest. entered the major leagues as a pitcher, and soon proved that he could hit the ball a mile. He was a rough talking, hard drinking womanizer who sometimes played better when he had a huge hangover. He married young and had a daughter but both wife and daughter suffered due to his life style and love of the night life. He argued with management, coaches, umpires, and fellow players but he was also a kind man who did much to help friends and especially children.
He was the greatest Yankee of all and the stadium, recently replaced, was called the House that Ruth Built. He set the record for home runs in a season of 60 in 1927 until broken by another Yankee, Roger Maris in 1961. But his age, bad habits, and weight finally caught up with him and suddenly he was gone. Baseball was done with him and he could not even get a job as a manager. He frittered away the rest of his life until he died of cancer in 1948. There will never be another like him.
He was the greatest Yankee of all and the stadium, recently replaced, was called the House that Ruth Built. He set the record for home runs in a season of 60 in 1927 until broken by another Yankee, Roger Maris in 1961. But his age, bad habits, and weight finally caught up with him and suddenly he was gone. Baseball was done with him and he could not even get a job as a manager. He frittered away the rest of his life until he died of cancer in 1948. There will never be another like him.
October 12, 2009
This is a riveting biography of the life of Babe Ruth, the Sultan of Swat, the Big Bam (one nom de guerre that I had never heard before). The author uses notes from a series of researchers, a number of whom wrote their own biographies of Babe Ruth. Hence, he appears to have a rich vein of material from which to mine nuggets on the life of Babe Ruth.
The focus of the book (page 5): "This book is an attempt to tell the story again for the Sports Center generation. . . . The approach is not so much to tear down the myths that grew around George Herman Ruth as to explain how and why they developed in the time in which he lived."
One metaphor used throughout the volume is "fog," representing those portions of Ruth's life where there is simply little information available. Much of his early childhood is enveloped in the fog. The story of how he moved from "St. Mary's Industrial School for Orphans, Delinquent, Incorrigible, and Wayward Boys to the Baltimore Orioles emerges from the fog and makes for good reading.
The book traces Ruth's rise from such humble and inauspicious beginnings to the minor leagues to the Boston Red Sox, where he became a great pitcher and promising hitter, to his purchase by the New York Yankees. The chapters recording his career speak of high points--and low points--and the awesome statistics that he compiled. More interesting, though, is the depiction of his very flawed life.
He may have had ADHD, if Montville is correct, but that is of no great moment. The point is that he had a hard time disciplining himself. Only after a wretched year and an as yet to be diagnosed malady that cost him a whole year did he begin to take care of himself.
The book does a nice job of recalling his career, his run in with his managers, his up and down relationships with teammates (the retelling of his ties to Lou Gehrig are quite interesting), his off field excesses (whether with food, drink, or women), his almost childlike behavior (the authors equated him to a 15 year old boy), his running through his salary. It also tells the tale of his attempting to take control of his life (with his second wide playing a key role, although their time together was hardly idyllic). The book concludes with Ruth's almost pathetic effort to become a manager while major league owners used and abused him in the process.
A nice biography indeed. Montville sometimes appears to venture into terra incognita where the evidentiary bases of his reflections are open to question (e.g., the ADHD diagnosis). But his is a candid biography, showing Ruth off--warts and accomplishments alike.
The focus of the book (page 5): "This book is an attempt to tell the story again for the Sports Center generation. . . . The approach is not so much to tear down the myths that grew around George Herman Ruth as to explain how and why they developed in the time in which he lived."
One metaphor used throughout the volume is "fog," representing those portions of Ruth's life where there is simply little information available. Much of his early childhood is enveloped in the fog. The story of how he moved from "St. Mary's Industrial School for Orphans, Delinquent, Incorrigible, and Wayward Boys to the Baltimore Orioles emerges from the fog and makes for good reading.
The book traces Ruth's rise from such humble and inauspicious beginnings to the minor leagues to the Boston Red Sox, where he became a great pitcher and promising hitter, to his purchase by the New York Yankees. The chapters recording his career speak of high points--and low points--and the awesome statistics that he compiled. More interesting, though, is the depiction of his very flawed life.
He may have had ADHD, if Montville is correct, but that is of no great moment. The point is that he had a hard time disciplining himself. Only after a wretched year and an as yet to be diagnosed malady that cost him a whole year did he begin to take care of himself.
The book does a nice job of recalling his career, his run in with his managers, his up and down relationships with teammates (the retelling of his ties to Lou Gehrig are quite interesting), his off field excesses (whether with food, drink, or women), his almost childlike behavior (the authors equated him to a 15 year old boy), his running through his salary. It also tells the tale of his attempting to take control of his life (with his second wide playing a key role, although their time together was hardly idyllic). The book concludes with Ruth's almost pathetic effort to become a manager while major league owners used and abused him in the process.
A nice biography indeed. Montville sometimes appears to venture into terra incognita where the evidentiary bases of his reflections are open to question (e.g., the ADHD diagnosis). But his is a candid biography, showing Ruth off--warts and accomplishments alike.
October 19, 2010
A credible and focused recap of all that has been written and researched on the Babe. However, I fault Montville for not going much beyond his main character. He briefly colors his myopic biography with local events but fails to tell the social science study of why Ruth became so much more in the eyes of a troubled nation (War, Depression, etc.) I bet he described the infamous infidelity of Ruth 500 times... but alas, no details. If you are going to be preoccupied by a character flaw, dive into it my boy. Jan 17, 2006.
August 28, 2018
Leigh Montville does a great job with baseball biographies. His book I read earlier on Ted Williams confirms his writing skill to the relevant human factor of these sports icons. The pleasure for me in this book is that I was in Manhattan New York as I read most of this book and especially chapter 11; this chapter was the one that described the (then) modern New York Yankee Stadium also nick named “The House that Ruth Built.” The original “House” was built in 185 days by 500 men. Reading this book while in NYC was pure coincidence, I have a simple list of those books I want to read during any given year and allow for occasional exceptions in the event one of my contacts here on this site had read or is reading a book that “I must read soon” sort of thing. As I read this chapter I could see the top of the Empire State Building in one direction and the 54th Street Bridge in another from a heightened floor location – I merely had to change sides of the building to garner my desired glimpse – I did this frequently and allowed my reflective person internally to appreciate what I was witnessing on this moment, all the while thinking of Chapter 11. Though the Yankees play in the Bronx and I was in the Upper East Side of Manhattan – I found a nostalgia within for the appreciation of the sport history to baseball – much the same way I feel for having learned to play hockey on thick covered ice lakes and parking locations frozen over by the local fire departments as a kid.
The parts of the book I most thoroughly enjoyed early on was that of the young boy George Herman Ruth. As a result, I fully understood where George Ruth came from – I also understood all too well the reasons for his later excesses that were the result of the young lad who had nothing and no figure to guide him to the management of his later salary and possessions he owned and within this hereto lay the fact that he had no beacon to point toward personal relationships, he really grew up in baseball – it is obvious he did learn his lesson as his second wife was by far the love of his life, there were some good people that showed up in the Babe’s life that helped him through what I considered to be a vulnerable existence at the cause of his fame. His second wife was also a former girlfriend to Ty Cobb so the relationship there between these two men was possibly awkward at times and even this too would wear off.
Too often in the modern era to which we live, sports players claim of having “built this house” merely makes me laugh – the paying fans come to be entertained (as opposed to being pontificated by some political pulpit that bears no resemblance to the reason fans show up in the first place.) The fans are the ones who “built this house”; whatever the sport, team, league or players on the rosters and its as true today for the New York Yankees as it is for the Montréal Canadiens. I recently read an article on a sports player who proclaimed to have “built this house” but it was nothing short of arrogance on his part of self-proclaimed importance and showed ignorance to the population density of that specific city.
In the end, George Herman Ruth was what he wanted to be, was nothing more nor less and is remembered for his game on the field and his game of swallowing up life around him, only to go back for more helpings at the smorgasbord.
Great book – sports fans of all sports should read this book
The parts of the book I most thoroughly enjoyed early on was that of the young boy George Herman Ruth. As a result, I fully understood where George Ruth came from – I also understood all too well the reasons for his later excesses that were the result of the young lad who had nothing and no figure to guide him to the management of his later salary and possessions he owned and within this hereto lay the fact that he had no beacon to point toward personal relationships, he really grew up in baseball – it is obvious he did learn his lesson as his second wife was by far the love of his life, there were some good people that showed up in the Babe’s life that helped him through what I considered to be a vulnerable existence at the cause of his fame. His second wife was also a former girlfriend to Ty Cobb so the relationship there between these two men was possibly awkward at times and even this too would wear off.
Too often in the modern era to which we live, sports players claim of having “built this house” merely makes me laugh – the paying fans come to be entertained (as opposed to being pontificated by some political pulpit that bears no resemblance to the reason fans show up in the first place.) The fans are the ones who “built this house”; whatever the sport, team, league or players on the rosters and its as true today for the New York Yankees as it is for the Montréal Canadiens. I recently read an article on a sports player who proclaimed to have “built this house” but it was nothing short of arrogance on his part of self-proclaimed importance and showed ignorance to the population density of that specific city.
In the end, George Herman Ruth was what he wanted to be, was nothing more nor less and is remembered for his game on the field and his game of swallowing up life around him, only to go back for more helpings at the smorgasbord.
Great book – sports fans of all sports should read this book
August 1, 2019
An ultimately frustrating biography that all too often abdicates its number one responsibility: to tell the story of its subject and offer interpretations of his life and actions. All too often Montville discusses a part of Babe Ruth's life only to hide behind a lack of factual evidence. Way too many chapters have such frustrating evasions. Any good biographer will (I believe) back me up on this rule: take a view, explain it compellingly and stick to it. I was looking forward to a good biography of the Bambino and the society that lionized him. This is not that book. Bill Bryson's One Summer: America 1927 does a much better job of this and Ruth is not even the main character. The search for a good biography of this titan of American sports continues.
May 7, 2009
Bill "Spaceman" Lee has always spoken well of Leigh Montville, but not having great access to the Boston press, my exposure to him has been limited to his Ted Williams biography, which I flat out could not get into. He does a better job here, but, except for using the word "fog" over and over again, adds nothing to Creamer's definitive work. It is engaging and well written. Maybe I'll give the Williams bio another go.
November 8, 2020
To me, Babe Ruth is fascinating. Though you could make cases for the boxer Jack Dempsey or the football player Red Grange, I think it's apparent that Babe Ruth was America's first true celebrity athlete. On the field, he singlehandedly revolutionized baseball, most notably in the form of the home run. Off the field, his personal life dominated headlines and tabloids, most of it unsavory details of his heavy drinking and carousing.
Like most larger than life figures, Babe Ruth's greatness was a combination of historical forces and his own talent and skill. He was the game's best ballplayer playing at a time when baseball was by far America's most popular sport. That he played for the Yankees only amplified his omnipresence in American popular culture, since New York City was the undisputed media capital of the country - and maybe the world - at the time. It was fascinating to read about the intense media coverage of The Babe, especially since his entire career (1914-1935) took place during a time when the primary media platforms were newspapers and radio. The public's appetite for all things Babe Ruth was insatiable - no different than our own celebrity centered culture.
As a sports fan, I can't get enough of the chronicling of Ruth's accomplishments on the baseball diamond. Truly, it is difficult to exaggerate how great of a player Ruth was, how dominant he was, how utterly unprecedented his home run hitting was, and how staggeringly better he was than his contemporaries. And the crazy thing is that he could've been even better. For most of his career, Babe Ruth ate like shit and drank like a fish. He regularly stayed out all night before games. He undoubtedly played hung over. He missed games because his insides had been prematurely torn up by heavy drinking, cigar smoking, and the relentless pounding of steaks, hot dogs, and pretty much any food put before his face.
To be sure, for most of his life, Babe Ruth was a scumbag. He was immature. He was selfish. He treated the women in his life like shit. He was beyond promiscuous - which in and of itself isn't wrong or bad, but is when you have a wife and kids at home and a mistress with a kid. He drank and drove and crashed and totaled cars, then promptly bought another. In all, he totaled nine cars He was also a gambling addict. He bet on horse racing. He lost an estimated $500,000 in his life, which would be sickeningly equal to millions (maybe even tens of millions) of contemporary dollars. I suppose a charitable view on Ruth is that it shouldn't be entirely surprising that the same man who craved home runs and big hits also craved virtually all of life's indulgences. At any rate, the hard living ultimately caught up with him. The Babe died of throat cancer at age 53.
I'm convinced Babe Ruth is the greatest baseball player of all time. Yes, many of his records have since been broken, most notably his career home run total, first fairly and naturally by the great Hank Aaron, and later with anabolic assistance by Barry Bonds. But no player has ever sat atop a mountain as high as the one Babe Ruth reached. And I don't think any player ever can. The game has evolved. The top talent has leveled off, so that no player will ever hit 40 more home runs in a season than the second highest home run hitter. No player will ever again single handedly hit more home runs in a season (54) than 15 of the 16 teams in the entire sport (Ruth did this in 1920). Perhaps more importantly, baseball's cultural significance has declined over the second half of the 20th century and into the 21st century. It's been largely supplanted domestically by football and basketball and, on an international level, by soccer. For this reason, no baseball player, regardless of how good they are, will ever capture the public eye the way Ruth did.
There will never be another Babe Ruth because there never can be another Babe Ruth. Other sports have their versions of Babe Ruth - Muhammad Ali in boxing, Michael Jordan in basketball, Wayne Gretzky in hockey. Each of the aforementioned players stands stop the pantheon of their respective sports. Indeed, they occupy the very heart and soul of their respective sports. To me, Babe Ruth is still the heart and soul of baseball, as indelible to the game as peanuts, crackerjacks, and the seventh inning stretch. I wish I could've seen him play.
Like most larger than life figures, Babe Ruth's greatness was a combination of historical forces and his own talent and skill. He was the game's best ballplayer playing at a time when baseball was by far America's most popular sport. That he played for the Yankees only amplified his omnipresence in American popular culture, since New York City was the undisputed media capital of the country - and maybe the world - at the time. It was fascinating to read about the intense media coverage of The Babe, especially since his entire career (1914-1935) took place during a time when the primary media platforms were newspapers and radio. The public's appetite for all things Babe Ruth was insatiable - no different than our own celebrity centered culture.
As a sports fan, I can't get enough of the chronicling of Ruth's accomplishments on the baseball diamond. Truly, it is difficult to exaggerate how great of a player Ruth was, how dominant he was, how utterly unprecedented his home run hitting was, and how staggeringly better he was than his contemporaries. And the crazy thing is that he could've been even better. For most of his career, Babe Ruth ate like shit and drank like a fish. He regularly stayed out all night before games. He undoubtedly played hung over. He missed games because his insides had been prematurely torn up by heavy drinking, cigar smoking, and the relentless pounding of steaks, hot dogs, and pretty much any food put before his face.
To be sure, for most of his life, Babe Ruth was a scumbag. He was immature. He was selfish. He treated the women in his life like shit. He was beyond promiscuous - which in and of itself isn't wrong or bad, but is when you have a wife and kids at home and a mistress with a kid. He drank and drove and crashed and totaled cars, then promptly bought another. In all, he totaled nine cars He was also a gambling addict. He bet on horse racing. He lost an estimated $500,000 in his life, which would be sickeningly equal to millions (maybe even tens of millions) of contemporary dollars. I suppose a charitable view on Ruth is that it shouldn't be entirely surprising that the same man who craved home runs and big hits also craved virtually all of life's indulgences. At any rate, the hard living ultimately caught up with him. The Babe died of throat cancer at age 53.
I'm convinced Babe Ruth is the greatest baseball player of all time. Yes, many of his records have since been broken, most notably his career home run total, first fairly and naturally by the great Hank Aaron, and later with anabolic assistance by Barry Bonds. But no player has ever sat atop a mountain as high as the one Babe Ruth reached. And I don't think any player ever can. The game has evolved. The top talent has leveled off, so that no player will ever hit 40 more home runs in a season than the second highest home run hitter. No player will ever again single handedly hit more home runs in a season (54) than 15 of the 16 teams in the entire sport (Ruth did this in 1920). Perhaps more importantly, baseball's cultural significance has declined over the second half of the 20th century and into the 21st century. It's been largely supplanted domestically by football and basketball and, on an international level, by soccer. For this reason, no baseball player, regardless of how good they are, will ever capture the public eye the way Ruth did.
There will never be another Babe Ruth because there never can be another Babe Ruth. Other sports have their versions of Babe Ruth - Muhammad Ali in boxing, Michael Jordan in basketball, Wayne Gretzky in hockey. Each of the aforementioned players stands stop the pantheon of their respective sports. Indeed, they occupy the very heart and soul of their respective sports. To me, Babe Ruth is still the heart and soul of baseball, as indelible to the game as peanuts, crackerjacks, and the seventh inning stretch. I wish I could've seen him play.
May 21, 2016
I really enjoyed The Big Bam. Not only because I married a girl named "Bam" but because it is really well researched and written. Some well researched biographies can be good but when you get down to it come across a little boring. Fortunately Leigh Montville is an excellent writer with a fascinating topic.
Like most people I knew the broad strokes of the story which is that The Babe was the first great home run hitter, traded early by Red Sox to Yanks, was a pitcher first and lived a hard drinking wild life. I also knew a few detailed stats because they tend to stick in my quantitative brain like the fact he was the first by a long shot to hit 60 homers in a season and totaled 714 in his career while leading the Yankees "Murderers Row" to multiple world series championships in the 1920's.
But there is so much more to the story which I really enjoyed learning. His childhood is amazing and Montville does a great job of showing how little is actually known about it. Coming out of a rough and tumble orphanage seems so unlikely and yet it happened. His carousing was indeed legendary and also his disdain for rules. It is hard to picture anyone being able to do whatevery they wanted around pro sports today. It would be like Johnny Manziel living by his own rules and dominating pro football or John Daly in golf doubling Nicklaus's record for Major Wins.
The fact was the Babe at his heday really was perhaps the most recognized person in the world??? Setting records that exceeded the previous records by quantum leaps and demanding to be paid accordingly while they whole time doing whatever he wanted to anytime he wanted to. Fun to read and gain perspective on just how big the Sultan of Sway really was!
Like most people I knew the broad strokes of the story which is that The Babe was the first great home run hitter, traded early by Red Sox to Yanks, was a pitcher first and lived a hard drinking wild life. I also knew a few detailed stats because they tend to stick in my quantitative brain like the fact he was the first by a long shot to hit 60 homers in a season and totaled 714 in his career while leading the Yankees "Murderers Row" to multiple world series championships in the 1920's.
But there is so much more to the story which I really enjoyed learning. His childhood is amazing and Montville does a great job of showing how little is actually known about it. Coming out of a rough and tumble orphanage seems so unlikely and yet it happened. His carousing was indeed legendary and also his disdain for rules. It is hard to picture anyone being able to do whatevery they wanted around pro sports today. It would be like Johnny Manziel living by his own rules and dominating pro football or John Daly in golf doubling Nicklaus's record for Major Wins.
The fact was the Babe at his heday really was perhaps the most recognized person in the world??? Setting records that exceeded the previous records by quantum leaps and demanding to be paid accordingly while they whole time doing whatever he wanted to anytime he wanted to. Fun to read and gain perspective on just how big the Sultan of Sway really was!
August 29, 2021
Read for the category of a biography of someone born in the 1800s.
I knew Babe Ruth was a massive celebrity, but I didn't really know the story of his life. And now I do. I guess that's the point of a biography, huh? But a theme of this book is that even a famous person is pretty much unknown. The celebrity of Ruth was created in news articles that embellished or completely fictionalized his activities. Almost nobody knew the truth, and very little of the reality of his life was recorded for posterity.
"This was the apogee in the age of new heroes. They were delivered to the front door now, these heroes, consumed like breakfast cereal. They weren't long-ago characters of mythology or simple words on paper; their voices could be heard on the radio, their pictures could be seen in the paper, in the news shorts at the theater. They were personal, exciting friends of every family. In 1927 A.D., America chewed up heroes, swallowed them whole."
I knew Babe Ruth was a massive celebrity, but I didn't really know the story of his life. And now I do. I guess that's the point of a biography, huh? But a theme of this book is that even a famous person is pretty much unknown. The celebrity of Ruth was created in news articles that embellished or completely fictionalized his activities. Almost nobody knew the truth, and very little of the reality of his life was recorded for posterity.
"This was the apogee in the age of new heroes. They were delivered to the front door now, these heroes, consumed like breakfast cereal. They weren't long-ago characters of mythology or simple words on paper; their voices could be heard on the radio, their pictures could be seen in the paper, in the news shorts at the theater. They were personal, exciting friends of every family. In 1927 A.D., America chewed up heroes, swallowed them whole."
February 25, 2020
In the world of sports, the first real superstar of the modern era was a guy who didn't have to face competition from other races on the playing field and whose idea of "working out" involved consuming gargantuan amounts of food and liquor and sleeping with anything that moved. Babe Ruth was also a really good baseball player, as it turns out, and Leigh Montville goes a long way towards exploring the many facets of Babe's personality (the impoverished childhood, the accusations of racial identity, the two tempestuous marriages and many infidelities, the ultimate rejection from the club that he helped make a champion, etc.). "The Big Fella" from a while back is probably a better book, but this one is not bad, either. Really, you should read both if you're into the story behind the myth of the Bambino, because George Herman Ruth was not normal. He was a superstar, and he paid the price for his talent.
January 12, 2011
I love these kids of biographies about the old sports heroes of long ago. the Big Bam----obviously about Babe Ruth----was very well-researched and written. the author did a great job of humanizing a guy who, over the years, has taken on an almost myth-like status. Ruth was a very good ball player---pitcher as well as the hitter he was most known for. He came from humble beginnings and worked his way to the top of his profession. On one hand he was always that kid who was plucked out of that school for boys in Baltimore, but he also became the consummate celebrity----with all the temptations and snares that comes with the.
Highly recommended book for anyone who loves baseball, back when it was still worth following.
Highly recommended book for anyone who loves baseball, back when it was still worth following.
May 16, 2020
I read a lot of stuff about the Babe and this one did not disappoint. Isn't it amazing that after all this time, The Greatest Baseball Player of all time bar none, still holds records that remain unbroken? His 60 homers in a 54 game series, his slugging percentage (toss out the drug soaked Barry Bond's please), the only pitcher to throw 14 innings in a World Series game, Most Home run titles (12) etcetera. And to think the second greatest ball player of all time, The Iron Horse hit right behind him in the same line-up on the same team. What are the odds. The 1927 and the 1928 Yankee teams are still the greatest teams in history. Both teams went all the way and swept their opponents in the World Series. Babe Ruth calling his shot against The Cubbies? Pure legend. Long live The Babe.
July 9, 2017
This was the most complete book about Babe Ruth I have read. It is not just about Babe the baseball player, but about the American icon he was and continues to be today. A great read, enjoy!
August 7, 2022
Was another biography on the greatest baseball player of all time truly needed, and if yes, what more could a modern author add to his incredible legend? Is it possible for a new biography on Babe Ruth to be a 5 star read, especially in the eyes of avid readers?
My answer to the first question is my belief that in producing something for a modern, broader audience, even if the field has been fully explored in past generations, the creator is doing society a favor by generating a newfound interest and appreciation for the subject. Sportswriter Leigh Montville partly falls into this category, as The Great Bambino may not have needed another biography, and only a few rarely-heard details inhabit these pages. But, for those modern readers who never read Robert Creamer's “Babe: The Legend Comes to Life” or devoured the various documentaries surrounding The Sultan of Swat, a 2006 bestselling book on the most famous baseball star of all time is the perfect recipe in spreading The Babe’s memory to a new generation of fans.
And - in regards to the second question in my opening paragraph - the answer is “YES!”, for the simple reason being that this book covers the life and times of Babe frickin’ Ruth, dammit. I’ll be the first to admit that Montville exceeded my expectations in putting forward a rewarding biography that not only blends in previous research and analysis into The Babe’s life but provides a pleasant read for the everyday baseball fan. (Several brief explanations regarding oft-told Ruth stories or otherwise antiquated aspects of twentieth-century society REALLY made me appreciate this author. Bringing up the concept of "fog", especially in the first few chapters, gave me quite the opposite reaction). Sure, my fellow reviewers will find reasons to dislike the premise, rehashed contents and lack of new interpretation in this work, but in the end, simply by covering The Home Run King as its subject - and doing his legacy justice - this book earns its 5 stars.
My answer to the first question is my belief that in producing something for a modern, broader audience, even if the field has been fully explored in past generations, the creator is doing society a favor by generating a newfound interest and appreciation for the subject. Sportswriter Leigh Montville partly falls into this category, as The Great Bambino may not have needed another biography, and only a few rarely-heard details inhabit these pages. But, for those modern readers who never read Robert Creamer's “Babe: The Legend Comes to Life” or devoured the various documentaries surrounding The Sultan of Swat, a 2006 bestselling book on the most famous baseball star of all time is the perfect recipe in spreading The Babe’s memory to a new generation of fans.
And - in regards to the second question in my opening paragraph - the answer is “YES!”, for the simple reason being that this book covers the life and times of Babe frickin’ Ruth, dammit. I’ll be the first to admit that Montville exceeded my expectations in putting forward a rewarding biography that not only blends in previous research and analysis into The Babe’s life but provides a pleasant read for the everyday baseball fan. (Several brief explanations regarding oft-told Ruth stories or otherwise antiquated aspects of twentieth-century society REALLY made me appreciate this author. Bringing up the concept of "fog", especially in the first few chapters, gave me quite the opposite reaction). Sure, my fellow reviewers will find reasons to dislike the premise, rehashed contents and lack of new interpretation in this work, but in the end, simply by covering The Home Run King as its subject - and doing his legacy justice - this book earns its 5 stars.
July 12, 2018
The life of Babe Ruth was a perfect match for the Roaring 20's in which he found his stride: equal parts exciting but ultimately sad. I don't know that I've ever read a book about anyone who enjoyed life more than Babe Ruth, yet was so lost and alone at the end of the ride.
Following his humble beginnings, growing up in a Baltimore orphanage, he became a young man that was easy to root for. Although he knew his father, he never had a relationship with him until early adulthood, and it was fleeting even then. Baseball was his way out of obscurity. It was there that he found his passion, not only for sport, but for everything that sport made possible for him. His was a true rags to riches story and he became larger than the sport that gave him a chance for success.
With that in mind, it was easy for those around him, teammates and fans especially, to overlook his rambunctiousness and zeal for the city nights... to a point. It did cause some problems, though not on the playing field the next day.
It's hard to imagine a modern athlete dominating any sport the way that Babe Ruth was able to do in his prime. He was a pioneer of the home run and his legend lives on to this day.
This was a great read, although for the era and genre, I'd still put Jonathan Eig's "Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig" ahead of this one. I do wish that I had read both simultaneously, as many of the chapters in each book covered a single season, and it would have been more meaningful for both books to read about the same seasons at the same time from each work. Though Ruth's story is more legendary, Gehrig's story was more inspirational. Both are must-reads for baseball fans, and I always wonder if very many modern-day major leaguers even know who these men were.
I hope so.
Following his humble beginnings, growing up in a Baltimore orphanage, he became a young man that was easy to root for. Although he knew his father, he never had a relationship with him until early adulthood, and it was fleeting even then. Baseball was his way out of obscurity. It was there that he found his passion, not only for sport, but for everything that sport made possible for him. His was a true rags to riches story and he became larger than the sport that gave him a chance for success.
With that in mind, it was easy for those around him, teammates and fans especially, to overlook his rambunctiousness and zeal for the city nights... to a point. It did cause some problems, though not on the playing field the next day.
It's hard to imagine a modern athlete dominating any sport the way that Babe Ruth was able to do in his prime. He was a pioneer of the home run and his legend lives on to this day.
This was a great read, although for the era and genre, I'd still put Jonathan Eig's "Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig" ahead of this one. I do wish that I had read both simultaneously, as many of the chapters in each book covered a single season, and it would have been more meaningful for both books to read about the same seasons at the same time from each work. Though Ruth's story is more legendary, Gehrig's story was more inspirational. Both are must-reads for baseball fans, and I always wonder if very many modern-day major leaguers even know who these men were.
I hope so.
July 19, 2018
I'm not sure how it took me until I was 36 years old to read a book about the Babe. Almost everyone in the world with any access to media recognizes the face of Babe Ruth. He was the first international superstar baseball player. He played harder and lived larger than anyone prior to him in the game.
This book does the best job it can at filling in the blanks of Babe's youth. It goes through the legends and stories and acknowledges when it's conjecturing versus citing verifiable facts. Babe's tale is definitely one of overcoming the odds in the biggest way. He was the biggest long shot, in the biggest sport, in the biggest city and through his efforts, created the biggest franchise in sports, which has still yet to be surpassed in that respect.
While entertaining and interesting, the book does not attempt to glaze over any of the dark spots in the Babe's life. It addresses his gambling, his infidelities, poor self control and his many other character flaws. Unfortunately for the Babe though, living such an amplified life also amplifies the consequences of his vices.
In the end, the Babe left behind the largest legacy of any athlete before or since. I am not even sure another athlete ever came as close to being as important to his game as the Babe was to baseball.
I can't speak for other books on Babe Ruth, but I feel this was a complete story, give or take a few news headlines here or there.
This book does the best job it can at filling in the blanks of Babe's youth. It goes through the legends and stories and acknowledges when it's conjecturing versus citing verifiable facts. Babe's tale is definitely one of overcoming the odds in the biggest way. He was the biggest long shot, in the biggest sport, in the biggest city and through his efforts, created the biggest franchise in sports, which has still yet to be surpassed in that respect.
While entertaining and interesting, the book does not attempt to glaze over any of the dark spots in the Babe's life. It addresses his gambling, his infidelities, poor self control and his many other character flaws. Unfortunately for the Babe though, living such an amplified life also amplifies the consequences of his vices.
In the end, the Babe left behind the largest legacy of any athlete before or since. I am not even sure another athlete ever came as close to being as important to his game as the Babe was to baseball.
I can't speak for other books on Babe Ruth, but I feel this was a complete story, give or take a few news headlines here or there.
September 16, 2019
Babe Ruth was really only good at one thing: baseball.
He spent his youth trying to find himself in an orphanage. He spent his baseball days partaking in the buffet of nightlife while booming towering homers in every ballpark his visited. He spent his days after baseball trying to stay relevant in the world of baseball.
He's admirable for one thing: he could kill a baseball.
And as a sports fan, that's what you want.
The mythical, Mt. Rushmore figures. The athlete who surpassed all the rest. The dominant force whose name struck awe in the minds of those who were lucky enough to be alive and know what it meant to have Babe Ruth come through your town on a "barnstorming" tour, showing off his mighty left-handed swing.
But Babe had more downfalls than most. He was a drunk. He was a cheater. He was, in many senses, a terrible father. He was rarely a decent teammate, never remembering a teammates' name. He wasn't always respectful of management or leadership. He gorged himself on the nightly vices offered him, never turning away a drink, a steak, or a woman. Off the field, he wasn't someone that anyone would strive to be.
But boy, could he obliterate a baseball.
And in a world of shock and awe, that's all anyone truly cared about.
Safe to say, Babe would do just fine in the 21st century.
He spent his youth trying to find himself in an orphanage. He spent his baseball days partaking in the buffet of nightlife while booming towering homers in every ballpark his visited. He spent his days after baseball trying to stay relevant in the world of baseball.
He's admirable for one thing: he could kill a baseball.
And as a sports fan, that's what you want.
The mythical, Mt. Rushmore figures. The athlete who surpassed all the rest. The dominant force whose name struck awe in the minds of those who were lucky enough to be alive and know what it meant to have Babe Ruth come through your town on a "barnstorming" tour, showing off his mighty left-handed swing.
But Babe had more downfalls than most. He was a drunk. He was a cheater. He was, in many senses, a terrible father. He was rarely a decent teammate, never remembering a teammates' name. He wasn't always respectful of management or leadership. He gorged himself on the nightly vices offered him, never turning away a drink, a steak, or a woman. Off the field, he wasn't someone that anyone would strive to be.
But boy, could he obliterate a baseball.
And in a world of shock and awe, that's all anyone truly cared about.
Safe to say, Babe would do just fine in the 21st century.
April 7, 2009
The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth is a very interesting book which talks all about the beautiful life of Babe Ruth. It goes in depth about how Babe Ruth suddenly arose to fame in the 1920’s and how that era started being called The Roaring Twenties. The book follows Ruth from his younger days when he was in the orphanage and includes the first time he ever played baseball with his friends and hit a homerun. Then it goes on to his early days with the Red Sox when he was a very young but excellent pitcher who hasn’t even talked about batting yet. Then it goes to his major trade to the Yankees to the part where he absolutely changed history but transitioning into a batter and breaking all sorts of records. It also mentions him being tested and checked for his hand eye coordination when they suspected him of doing something illegal. The book also talks a lot about the era and how he became a larger than life figure in the 1920’s and why it was the 1920’s rather than the 30’s or 40’s.
As a major baseball, Babe Ruth and Yankee fan, I would definitely recommend this all the people who love to read about baseball and the life of athletes. It is an excellent book because it makes a reader think and wonder how Babe Ruth has changed the way all of us play and view baseball.
As a major baseball, Babe Ruth and Yankee fan, I would definitely recommend this all the people who love to read about baseball and the life of athletes. It is an excellent book because it makes a reader think and wonder how Babe Ruth has changed the way all of us play and view baseball.
October 14, 2022
Babe Ruth has to be one of the most fascinating characters in 20th century sports, and Montville does an excellent job combining material from previously published books and newly found resources to put together this very interesting account of a life that was equally part athlete, part celebrity. The book is well-written and engaging, covering all aspects of Ruth's early life, his baseball career, his controversies and his later years. One recurring theme in the book is how at various points in Ruth's private life, a curtain seems to be drawn that hides the facts and details of some difficult times. Part of this might be the difference in journalism of the day, where sportswriters would never write about scandals in an athlete's private life, and in Ruth's case, would even enable his bad behaviour through their silence. Montville concludes that certain elements of Ruth's private life (failed first marriage, fathering illegitimate child) will remain lost to history, leaving only conjecture. Though I would still consider Robert Creamer's book "Babe" the seminal book on Ruth, Montville's Big Bam is definitely worth the read for anyone interested in this larger-than-life character who epitomized the development of celebrity in America in the 1920s.
February 10, 2009
I never had any particular interest in Babe Ruth, and thought of him as "just a baseball player". Reading this book gave me a whole new perspective and an incredible amount of respect for Ruth's accomplishments. He led a life of excess in all departments (alcohol, women, gambling), yet still delivered on the baseball diamond, year after year. Ruth was such a great all-round athlete that in 1933 he pitched a complete game for the Yankees (and won), almost two decades after he first entered the major leagues.
I was impressed by Ruth's charity work and his willingness to make himself available to his fans, especially children. In that regard, he seemed to remain a "normal guy". He was also like a big kid who never grew up, though... if he lived today, he'd have a diagnosis of ADHD and be taking Ritalin and Prozac.
I was impressed by Ruth's charity work and his willingness to make himself available to his fans, especially children. In that regard, he seemed to remain a "normal guy". He was also like a big kid who never grew up, though... if he lived today, he'd have a diagnosis of ADHD and be taking Ritalin and Prozac.
October 24, 2019
There is a lot more to Babe Ruth than Baseball. The 1920's needed more people like Babe Ruth and less like Charles Lindbergh's. Babe Ruth certainly has his faults, for example staying faithful to either his first or second wife was only a fantasy that was never going to happen. On positive side he often invited the tap dancer Bill " BO " Robinson who was black into the dugout to watch a game, which was unheard of in that time when the major leagues did not allow blacks to play. Due to the fact that Babe Ruth was an orphan he did a lot of good work for orphans, and often visited orphanages personally on the road and at home, and often buying the children ice cream as a treat. Sure he could be jerk at times, however his heart was in the right place. What I enjoyed most about this book is how the writer Leigh Montville gets into the charter of Babe Ruth outside of baseball.
March 7, 2023
3.5 Stars. I've read so many books about Babe Ruth now so here's the skinny on this book. The author gives credit to five of the well known writers like Creamer, Smelser, and others . He questions a lot of facts from others. He calls it a fog. We don't learn anything really new about Babe, but we do learn some tidbits about secondary and tertiary characters that surrounded Babe during his life.
Babe uses bad lingo, curses, etc., in this book, and he comes across as a real dope-way more so than other books. Did the author get Babe's birthdate wrong? I thought it was Feb 6, not Feb 7. So, in conclusion, the history doesn't vary much but he covers the nasty stuff in a way that earlier writers chose not to do.
Babe uses bad lingo, curses, etc., in this book, and he comes across as a real dope-way more so than other books. Did the author get Babe's birthdate wrong? I thought it was Feb 6, not Feb 7. So, in conclusion, the history doesn't vary much but he covers the nasty stuff in a way that earlier writers chose not to do.
June 5, 2017
This book is fantastic for any baseball history fanatic, this book goes into depth about the life and the background of one of the greatest baseball players ever to step on the plate, Babe Ruth. The depth that Leigh goes into with the background and the stuff Babe did before and outside of baseball is fantastic. Leigh opened us to how Ruth was more then just the slugger he is normally known for, showing us the impact that Babe had on lives outside of baseball. Great for people who enjoy history and baseball, really fantastic read
July 29, 2018
Straightforward and enjoyable read about an American sports legend who cast a long shadow over the country throughout 1920s and 30s, even up to to today. Incredible story about his rise up from an orphanage childhood in Baltimore all the way to the loftiest heights of New York City living. I enjoy books like this more from the perspective of learning about our country’s history and popular culture rather than simply an interest in sports trivia. But this book obviously would be good for serious baseball enthusiasts as well. Living large in 1920s America must have been quite a thrill.
October 17, 2019
No interest in baseball, don’t even like watching the sport, however this was a decent read and I felt like I understood the myth and legend surrounding Babe Ruth and how much of a figure he was outside of his baseball playing. Was a very tolerable biography too, I’m not usually engaged in any type of non fiction things but this was very entertaining. Babe Ruth’s character almost resembled something out of a comic book honestly.
August 7, 2017
Terrific look at the man , who in reality, saved baseball. Tremendously easy read that is laid out and concise, also provides the side of the man that should not be celebrated. Easily, in my opinion, the best Ruth saga I've read.
August 26, 2017
Great Read!
I've read a few Babe Ruth books, this one I learned a few new things and also found it to be a more upbeat style than others but still keeping to the facts. Defintely would recommend this title to others.
I've read a few Babe Ruth books, this one I learned a few new things and also found it to be a more upbeat style than others but still keeping to the facts. Defintely would recommend this title to others.
November 14, 2018
Montville is masterful in his portrayal of this greatest American sports legend!
If you enjoy excellent, skillful writing from one of our finest sportswriters or writers in any genre, for that matter, don't hesitate to turn your attention to Montville's portrait of the Babe!
If you enjoy excellent, skillful writing from one of our finest sportswriters or writers in any genre, for that matter, don't hesitate to turn your attention to Montville's portrait of the Babe!
September 9, 2019
Good read for not a fan.
I've seen only a few baseball pro games. This reading filled in all the blanks for me of the game and the lives of the players. Babe was a giant of the game and kept the ball parks filled during depression days. An excellent account by the author.
I've seen only a few baseball pro games. This reading filled in all the blanks for me of the game and the lives of the players. Babe was a giant of the game and kept the ball parks filled during depression days. An excellent account by the author.
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