Babe Ruth

• Refused to go to school as a child in Baltimore, sent to reform school where he learned how to play baseball from a Priest (Muscular Christianity)

• Signed with the Boston Red Sox at 19 as a pitcher • Pitched very well in the 1918 World Series• Hit 29 Homeruns in 1919 (Black Sox year)• Traded to the New York Yankees in 1920, becoming the

greatest star in Baseball history• The Red Sox struggled to win a world series for 80+ years,

despite winning it often before 1920 = the curse of the Bambino

1920’s-1930

• Babe Ruth represents America in the 20’s• “Roaring 20’s” excitement over the new culture that

was emerging.• Rules were being broken for women and men in

dress, work, hairstyles, dance etc. part of the larger moral decline

• Boom time in the economy• Ruth Broke the “rules” in baseball with homeruns

and brought a needed boom time for the sport (saving baseball following the Black Sox Scandal)

Red Grange “Galloping Ghost”

• 1st major star in college/pro football• Game against Michigan in 1924= 5 rushing

touchdowns and 1 passing (Radio Broadcast)• Signed with the Chicago Bears and was really

the first big name to go from college to pro football = NFL becomes legitimate

Jack Dempsey “Manassa Mauler”

• Win’s the championship over Willard “loaded glove” controversy

• Defense fights= 1st million dollar gates promoted by Tex Rickard

• 1926 loss against Gene Tunney – “Honey, I forgot to duck!”

• 1927 beats Jack Sharkey in the “low blow” fight to see who would fight Tunney