Babe Ruths Home Run Record: An In-Depth Analysis
Introduction
The home run record of Babe Ruth is a cornerstone in baseball history. Ruth, who played from 1914 to 1935, retired with 714 career home runs in Major League Baseball (MLB). This record would likely be higher if he had not pitched early in his career, allowing him to play about one out of every four days. Let’s explore the evolution of this record and analyze some of the top home run hitters in professional baseball.
Top Home Run Leaders in MLB
Although Ruth’s record of 714 home runs stands as impressive, it’s worth noting that two other players, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds, are also in the list of all-time home run leaders in MLB. However, Aaron and Bonds were cited for steroid use, which is a cloud over their records. Nonetheless, their home run counts impact the discussion.
The home run stands of four players are recognized as significant. Besides Ruth, Hank Aaron hit 755 home runs, while Barry Bonds added 762 to his MLB tally. Sadaharu Oh is the leader in home runs in Nippon Professional Baseball, hitting 868 between 1959 and 1980. An interesting query arises when considering negro league legend Josh Gibson, whose home run totals have been widely disputed.
Josh Gibson: The Controversial Leader
Some sources claim that Negro League legend Josh Gibson hit over 800 home runs during his career. However, experts find this claim hard to believe.
Josh Gibson played from the age of 18 to 35, excluding his final off-season. During his career, he averaged around 40–45 league games per year, with an additional 100 games from exhibitions and barnstorming tours. His official records, recognized by MLB, show 165 home runs in 598 games, averaging 0.28 homers per game.
If we consider 150 games per year, Gibson would have to average 40-45 home runs per year to reach 750 career home runs. To achieve 800 home runs over 14 years, he would need to average 57 home runs per year. This scenario seems unrealistic as most of his games were not against professional teams, leading to suspicion that some of these games were against amateur sides converted into slow-pitch softball teams. Thus, attributing 800 home runs to Josh Gibson without sufficient evidence is difficult to verify.
Conclusion
Babe Ruth’s 714 home runs in MLB remain a benchmark in professional baseball, a record that would have been even more significant absent the time he spent pitching. While Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds both hit over 700 home runs, their records are tainted by steroid allegations, whereas Sadaharu Oh’s 868 home runs in Japanese baseball remain solid. The claim of Josh Gibson hitting over 800 home runs remains highly contentious and unverifiable. Ruth’s record, thus, stands as a testament to his phenomenal talent and the golden era of baseball in the early 20th century.