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Primary sourcePhotograph1920

Shoeless Joe Jackson and Babe Ruth with Home Run Bat

New York Daily News · 1920

A 1920 news photo of Babe Ruth and Shoeless Joe Jackson examining one of Ruth's home run bats.

Shows Ruth as a rising power hitter being photographed alongside fellow star Joe Jackson in 1920.

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Black-and-white photo of two baseball players seated on a wooden dugout bench examining a bat held across their laps. Left: player in a New York jersey and cap. Right: player in a pinstriped White Sox uniform with a cap, looking at the bat. Empty stands behind.
New York Daily News, Shoeless Joe Jackson and Babe Ruth with home run bat, 1920.

About this source

What it is

A black-and-white photograph taken in 1920 by the New York Daily News. It shows Shoeless Joe Jackson of the Chicago White Sox and Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees seated together, looking at one of Ruth's home run bats.

Why it matters

This photo captures two of the most famous hitters of the era side by side. Ruth was changing baseball by hitting home runs at a rate no one had seen before, while Jackson was already a star known for his hitting skill. The picture shows how players and press paid close attention to Ruth's bats and power as his fame grew.

Look closer

  • What does the men's body language suggest about their relationship?
  • Why might a newspaper want a photo of these two players together?
  • What does the empty stadium in the background tell you about when this photo might have been taken?

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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