Babe Ruth was an American baseball player who played from 1914 to 1935. He played for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, joining the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 as one of its first five members. Ruth began his career as a pitcher but was later moved to outfield where he became one of the greatest home run hitters of all time, holding the single season home run record for decades. He helped popularize baseball and drew large crowds throughout his career.