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One of the most beloved players in baseball history, Ruth single-handedly dragged baseball into the modern era with long-ball power never before seen in America's ballparks. Ruth's staggering home run totals changed the game; in the process, the charismatic
'Bambino' became an American legend. The fierce, resentful backlash that greeted Roger Maris and Hank Aaron as they took aim at Ruth's long-standing records testified to Ruth's enduring popularity. |
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Aaron's quiet, calm demeanor intimidated few, but his lightning-quick wrists struck fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers. Because of his unassuming nature -- and
the fact that relatively few of his 755 home runs were as impressive as the titanic moonshots often launched by less consistent sluggers -- Aaron never achieved the transcendent fame enjoyed by the man whose career home run total he eclipsed on April 8, 1974. Even so, his remarkable achievement was no accident; Aaron was truly one of the best hitters in baseball history.
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HITTING |
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HITTING |
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A more dramatic hitter than Aaron, Ruth was the first man to unabashedly aim for the fences -- whether or not he actually slugged a 'called shot' in the 1932 World Series. More of a pull hitter than Aaron, Ruth led his league in strikeouts five times -- but also topped the AL in
walks eleven times.
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Unlike most sluggers, Aaron's power didn't come from a wide-open swing but rather from quick wrists and a good eye. A two-time batting champion, Aaron hit with
authority to all fields and never struck out more than 100 times in a season. |
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DEFENSE |
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DEFENSE |
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The Yankees used to move Ruth around the outfield to keep him away from the sun, but the Babe was far from a liability in the outfield. A former pitcher, Ruth had
a strong arm and had good range wherever he played.
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Fans rarely saw Aaron make a spectacular play, but it might have been because Aaron made every play look too easy. He was smart, with a reasonable arm, and rarely made
mistakes. |
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BASERUNNING |
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BASERUNNING |
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Perhaps the most embarrassing moment in Ruth's career was being caught stealing to end the '26 World Series, but for most of his career -- contrary to popular belief -- Ruth wasn't exceptionally fat or exceptionally slow.
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Aaron stole 240 bases over his career, topping twenty steals six times. He was caught just five times while stealing a career-high 31 in 1963.
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LEADERSHIP/CHARACTER |
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LEADERSHIP/CHARACTER |
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Ruth led by example. His teams reached the World Series a record ten times (since broken) but -- as sportswriter Bill Broeg once wrote, 'to try to capture Babe
Ruth with cold statistics would be like trying to keep up with him on a night out.' |
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Aaron was more of a team player than team leader. He got along with his teammates but kept a low profile for most of his career. A consummate professional, Aaron
made his mark in the field, not in the clubhouse. |
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