Babe Ruth Hits 60th Homer in 1927

On September 30, 1927, Babe Ruth hit his 60th home run during the 1927 Yankees season and set a record that would stand for 34 years.

Ruth, who was sold from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees, hit more home runs than the entire Red Sox team in 10 of the next 12 seasons. “The Sultan of Swat” or “The Bambino,” as he was alternately known, was the greatest gate attraction in baseball through the 1920s until his retirement as a player in 1935.

The 1927 season featured a fearsome Yankees lineup of power hitters known as “Murderer’s Row” that included Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzerri, and Bob Meusel.

April 27, 1947 was deemed National Babe Ruth Day by the New York Yankees to honor the baseball legend who was suffering the debilitating effects of nasopharyngeal cancer. He was greeted by 58,339 fans that day in the “House That Ruth Built” and the ceremony and speeches were fed into every Major and Minor League stadium. Ruth died one year later just after his number was retired; in his career he hit 714 home runs that remained unchallenged until 1974 when Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run, 39 years later.