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Primary sourcePhotograph1948

Babe Ruth Bows Out

Nathaniel Fein · 1948

Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of Babe Ruth seen from behind at Yankee Stadium during a ceremony retiring his number, two months before his death.

Shows Ruth's public farewell at Yankee Stadium shortly before his death, in his famous uniform number.

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Black-and-white photo from behind of a baseball player in a pinstriped uniform with the number 3, holding a cap, on a stadium field. A line of uniformed players and suited men stands at right, with crowded stands and banners behind.
Nathaniel Fein, Babe Ruth Bows Out, 1948. Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph.

About this source

What it is

This is a black-and-white photograph taken by Nathaniel Fein at Yankee Stadium during a ceremony honoring Babe Ruth. It shows Ruth from behind, wearing his pinstriped No. 3 uniform and holding his cap, facing the field with teammates and officials lined up nearby and a crowded stadium behind him. The photograph won the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Photography.

Why it matters

Taken near the end of Ruth's life, the image captures his farewell to the public that had followed his career for decades. By photographing him from behind rather than face-on, Fein created a different kind of portrait — one about absence and departure rather than triumph. It shows how photographers shaped the public memory of sports heroes.

Look closer

  • Why might the photographer have chosen to show Ruth from behind instead of his face?
  • What does the crowd and the lined-up players tell you about how important this moment was?
  • How does this image differ from typical action photos of athletes?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Babe Ruth on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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