6 former Yankees players who thrived in the New York limelight later in their careers

Babe Ruth set the standard for greatness in New York after landing with the Yankees

Sure, George Herman Ruth may very well have become an inner circle Hall of Famer had he never played for the Yankees, but as fate would have it, he'd become a legend in New York even in a time when society was very different.

There are a few caveats to get out of the way. Babe Ruth played well before the color barrier was broken and the game became globalized. He also played at a time when many of his contemporaries had regular jobs in the offseason. Still, what he did against the competition he faced is nothing short of legendary, and many of his records have stood the test of time.

The Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth's contract to the New York Yankees for the sum of $100,000 in January of 1920. Estimates with inflation put that number roughly between $1.5 million and $1.7 million in today's money, and make it an absolutely massive monetary transaction for the time.

What some may forget is Ruth was primarily a pitcher with the Red Sox and didn't start getting everyday at bats until 1919 when he hit .322/.456/.657 with 29 homers. His debut season with the Yankees saw him clobber 54 home runs, single-handedly out homering all but one team in the league.

The Bambino would break his own record the following year, clocking a then-record 59 dingers in 1921. He'd be the all-time home run leader with 714 until 1974 when Hank Aaron finally eclipsed him.

More importantly, the flamboyant Ruth helped make baseball America's pastime during his 15 seasons in New York, thriving under the pressure as the key cog of the Yankees' Murders Row lineups and winning four World Series championships during that time.

Ruth epitomized what it felt like to have success in New York, as his larger-than-life personality was buoyed by his earth-shattering performance. Smoking cigars, wearing crowns, and eclipsing the President of the United States' salary were all memorable moments, but most memorable were the epic home runs, the called shots, and the World Series rings on his fingers.

Ruth's career stat line with the Yankees was a cool .349/.484/.711, and 659 of his 714 career home runs came while wearing Yankee pinstripes.