The Babe

Seven-year-old George Herman Ruth Jr. is sent to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys in Baltimore in 1902, as his father cannot manage raising him alone. He is educated by Catholic missionaries and mocked by other boys for his size. Brother Matthias Boutlier first introduces Ruth to the game of baseball, and Ruth's towering power is revealed during batting practice.

Ruth is schooled and disciplined at the reformatory under Catholic missionaries who recognize his raw talent. Brother Matthias notices Ruth's potential and introduces him to baseball as a way to channel his energy. The young player begins to grow into a formidable hitter and pitcher.

In 1914, Ruth, now nineteen, stands out on the St. Mary's baseball team, excelling as both a powerful hitter and a great pitcher. His astonishing skills attract the attention of manager Jack Dunn. Dunn decides to take a chance on him by offering a contract.

Jack Dunn adopts Ruth and signs him to a contract with the Baltimore Orioles, giving the young star a professional path. Ruth's development continues as he moves into higher levels of competition. The arrangement marks the start of his climb toward major league fame.

Midway through the 1914 season, Ruth is sold to the Boston Red Sox, beginning his ascent to national attention. He quickly becomes a fan favorite in Boston thanks to his prodigious power. The change also places him under a different era of management and expectations.

Ruth's home-run prowess helps the Red Sox captivate crowds in Boston, but tensions rise with owner Harry Frazee. After the 1919 season, Ruth demands a raise and a special road-game suite, which Frazee refuses. Frazee instead sells him to the New York Yankees to finance his Broadway shows.

Ruth becomes a national sensation with the Yankees and helps them win the 1923 World Series. His presence fuels a new era of power hitting and elevates the team to a new level of popularity. The spotlight fully shifts to Ruth as a Broadway of baseball stardom.

A couple of years after the 1923 season, Ruth visits Johnny Sylvester, a sick boy, and later belts two home runs for him. The gesture cements Ruth's larger-than-life status in the public eye. The moment intertwines personal heroics with his on-field exploits.

A few years after his peak, Ruth begins a slump as Lou Gehrig rises to prominence, earning the nicknames Iron Horse and The Pride of the Yankees. Ruth's influence wanes on the field even as his legend endures off it. The shifting dynamics mark the start of a gradual downturn.

Ruth endures a hostile crowd that pelts him with lemons, and his anger spills onto the field as he yells from the dugout. The incident further tarnishes his public image and foreshadows the end of an era. The moment underscores the pressures of fame on a volatile star.

In 1927, Ruth returns to form and belts 60 home runs, breaking his own record of 59 for a single season. The feat re-establishes him as the game's dominant slugger and cements his legacy. The feat resonates across baseball and popular culture.

During game three of the 1932 World Series against the Cubs, Ruth points toward center field in a famous display known as the 'called shot,' then delivers a towering home run. The moment becomes one of the most iconic in baseball lore. The scene encapsulates Ruth's enduring mystique in the late prime of his career.

By 1934, Ruth's career has declined, and the Yankees release him from the team. He signs with the Boston Braves under the promise of a managerial role, but his presence is more comedic than managerial. The transition signals the final phase of his playing days.

Before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Ruth overhears owners noting he's only good for drawing crowds. He responds by hitting three home runs, then shuns the handshake of congratulations and drops his Braves cap, effectively quitting the team. The moment caps his on-field arc with a defiant farewell.

The film ends with Ruth trudging through the tunnel, broken yet still legendary. Johnny, grown now, tells Ruth that he is still his hero and returns the signed ball Ruth once gave him. Ruth whispers, 'I'm gone,' as Johnny calls him the best there ever was and Ruth begins to walk away.