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Primary sourcePhotograph1920s

Babe Ruth cropped

1920s

A widely circulated lifetime portrait photograph of Babe Ruth as a Yankee, cropped to show his face and cap.

One of the most reproduced photographs of Ruth, central to his public image as a Yankee.

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Black-and-white portrait photograph, cropped at the shoulders, of a man wearing a dark cap with a white interlocking NY emblem. He has a serious expression and looks toward the camera, wearing a light collared shirt.
Photograph of Babe Ruth as a New York Yankee, 1920s.

About this source

What it is

This is a black-and-white photograph of Babe Ruth, cropped at the shoulders, showing him wearing a cap with the interlocking NY emblem of the New York Yankees. It is one of the most widely reproduced photographs of Ruth from his playing career.

Why it matters

Because this image was reproduced so often, it became part of how generations of fans pictured Ruth — not in motion on the field, but as a recognizable face under the Yankees cap. It shows how a single photograph can come to stand for an entire public image of a historical figure.

Look closer

  • What does the serious, direct expression suggest about how Ruth wanted to be seen?
  • Why might this cropped, close-up version have become more popular than full-length photos?
  • What is missing from this image that a photo of him playing might show?

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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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.Photograph

Primary source

Babe Ruth Bows Out

Nathaniel Fein · 1948

Aerial view of Yankee Stadium, a large oval stadium with white concrete walls, the words YANKEE STADIUM across the upper facade, and a green baseball field surrounded by stands. Apartment buildings and streets surround it.Artifact

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Yankee Stadium

1923

Black-and-white full-length studio portrait of a man in a striped baseball uniform and cap with a large N-style logo, holding a wooden bat on his shoulder against a painted backdrop. Signature reads Yours truly Babe Ruth.Photograph

Primary source

Babe Ruth2

Irwin, La Broad, & Pudlin · c. 1920

Four baseball bats displayed upright in a glass case against a yellow wall with placards. From left: a light wood bat signed by Babe Ruth, a bat signed by Roger Maris, a pale bat signed by Mark McGwire, and a black bat signed by Sammy Sosa. Each has a labeled placard below.Artifact

Primary source

Home Run Record Bats Display

1927 (bat); display photographed later

Trade magazine advertisement for the 1920 film Headin' Home starring Babe Ruth. Left: an illustrated cartoon of a batter in pinstripes with a bat, numbered 54. Large text reads Babe Ruth in Headin' Home. Below: a still of a man in a work shirt grinning beside a woman in a wide-brimmed hat by a fence. Text reads a delightful photoplay of youth and happiness.Documentary

Primary source

Headin' Home

Lawrence C. Windom · 1920

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