The Yankees Twenty-Five Most Memorable Home Runs

Video Courtesy Of TheVideomunchkin

#18 An Iconic Yankees Slugger Breaks His Own Record

Babe Ruth was playing in the next to last game of the 1927 season when he connected off Tom Zachary, breaking his home run record with his 60th of the year.

It was, of course, a record that would stand the test of time and countless sluggers who made futile attempts to break it. That is before a young man from the Midwest came along in 1961, and hit a 2-0 fastball into the short porch at Yankee Stadium.

Reading isn’t good for a ballplayer. Not good for his eyes. If my eyes went bad even a little bit I couldn’t hit home runs. So I gave up reading. (Babe Ruth)

By 1927, Ruth had cemented his place in Yankees history, as well as all of baseball. His effervescent personality, especially when he around kids, warmed the hearts of baseball fans across the nation.

Fabled and larger than life, stories about his exploits abound. But few care about whether or not he would down six hot dogs and two bottles of pop between innings. Instead, fans gravitated to the power that he introduced to the game of baseball that brought an end to the Dead Ball Era.

Trotting around the bases as we watch with awe this grainy footage, how is it possible that those two spindling ankles supported his upper bulk?

Later, other iconic Yankees would follow in Ruth’s path. Number 7, Mickey Mantle, and Number 5, Joe DiMaggio would each take their turn as immortals in the Yankees record books. But no one comes close to touching Ruth.