Babe Ruth was a baseball player.
George Herman `` Babe '' Ruth Jr. ( February 6 , 1895 -- August 16 , 1948 ) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) spanned 22 seasons , from 1914 through 1935 . Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time . During his career , he was the target of intense press and public attention for his baseball exploits and off-field penchants for drinking and womanizing . The Atlanta Braves , a current Major League Baseball franchise , originated in Boston , Massachusetts . The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in North America , contested since 1903 between the American League ( AL ) champion team and the National League ( NL ) champion team .