February 26, 1935. The New York Yankees released George Herman Ruth -- the most famous athlete in America, the man who'd built their stadium and their dynasty, the reason a generation of kids cared about baseball at all. The transaction itself was a formality. Ruth had asked for his freedom. What he'd really asked for was the managerial job, and when Jake Ruppert told him no, the 16-year marriage was over. Ruth left the Bronx not because his bat had failed him (though it had been fading), but because he wanted a chair in the dugout that already belonged to someone else.
The Manager Question
Ruth's desire to manage the Yankees wasn't a secret. He'd talked about it openly for years, and his logic wasn't unreasonable -- he knew the game from the inside, he'd been the biggest name in the sport for the better part of two decades, and he figured his experience counted for something. The problem was Joe McCarthy. McCarthy had managed the club since 1931, won the 1932 World Series, and ran a tight, disciplined operation. Ruppert trusted McCarthy completely and wasn't about to fire a winner to accommodate Ruth's ambitions.
There was also a temperament problem that nobody talked about publicly (but everybody talked about privately). Ruth was brilliant and instinctive on the field, but his lifestyle -- the late nights, the appetites, the inability to follow anybody else's rules -- made the front office deeply skeptical of his managerial fitness. Whether that judgment was fair or not, it sealed the decision.
The Braves and the Broken Promise
Once released, Ruth signed with the Boston Braves. Judge Emil Fuchs, the Braves' owner, dangled titles like candy -- assistant manager, second vice president, player. The implication was that Ruth would eventually take over as field manager. Fuchs needed Ruth for one reason: to sell tickets. The Braves were a sinking franchise, and Ruth's name on the marquee was the only lifeline Fuchs could find.
Ruth took the deal. He probably knew the managerial promise was thin, but what else was he going to do? Nobody in the American League wanted him as a player, and no team was offering a managing job. Boston was the only door still open, so he walked through it.
Twenty-Eight Games
Ruth lasted 28 games in a Braves uniform. He hit .181 with six home runs -- numbers that would've been embarrassing for a bench player, let alone the greatest hitter who'd ever lived. The body that had launched 714 home runs was finished. His legs were shot. His reflexes had slowed to the point where major league pitching had become a problem rather than an opportunity.
The final act included one last burst of brilliance -- Ruth hit three home runs at Forbes Field on May 25, the last of which cleared the right-field roof, a shot that no one had managed before. It was a performance worthy of the legend, delivered in a uniform nobody wanted to see him wear. Within days, the Braves released him. The career was over.
What Ruth Left Behind
Back in the Bronx, Lou Gehrig stepped into the leadership void with the captaincy and a .329 batting average. George Selkirk took Ruth's spot in right field and hit .312. The pitching staff led the American League in ERA. The Yankees went 89-60 and finished three games out. They didn't win the pennant, but they didn't collapse either.
The attendance did collapse. Yankee Stadium drew just 657,508 fans -- the Giants outdrew them across town for the first time in a decade. Ruth wasn't just a player. He was the event. Without him, the building felt different. Quieter. Less charged with the possibility that something extraordinary might happen on any given swing.
| Ruth's Yankees Tenure | 1920-1934 (15 seasons) |
| Release Date | February 26, 1935 |
| Ruth with Braves | 28 games, .181 BA, 6 HR |
| 1935 Yankees Without Ruth | 89-60, 2nd place (3 GB Detroit) |
| 1935 Yankee Stadium Attendance | 657,508 |
| Gehrig's 1935 Line | .329 / 30 HR / 119 RBI |
| Selkirk Replacing Ruth | .312 / 11 HR / 94 RBI |
The Longer View
Ruth's departure forced the Yankees to become something different. For 15 years, the franchise had revolved around one man -- his bat, his personality, his ability to fill seats just by existing. Without Ruth, the club had to rely on depth, pitching, and organizational structure. It was McCarthy's kind of team now: professional, balanced, built to grind.
Within a year, Joe DiMaggio arrived from San Francisco, and the dynasty that won four straight World Series titles began in earnest. The Ruth era hadn't ended -- it had evolved. The foundation he'd laid (and the stadium he'd filled) remained. But the personality-driven franchise gave way to a machine, and the machine turned out to be even harder to beat.
Ruth never managed a major league team. He waited by the phone for years after retirement, convinced the call would come. It didn't. He died on August 16, 1948, at 53 years old. The $100,000 purchase from Boston in 1920 had produced 714 home runs, seven pennants, four World Series championships, and a stadium that still bears the nickname he gave it. On February 26, 1935, all of that walked out the door. The Yankees survived. That doesn't mean it didn't sting.
Ruth Asks for the Manager's Job
Ruth approaches Ruppert about replacing McCarthy as Yankees manager. Ruppert refuses. Ruth requests his unconditional release.
Yankees Release Ruth
The Yankees officially release Babe Ruth after 15 seasons, ending the most significant player-franchise association in baseball history.
Ruth Signs with Braves
Ruth joins the Boston Braves as player, assistant manager, and second vice president. Owner Emil Fuchs implies a path to full managing duties.
Three Home Runs at Forbes Field
Ruth hits three home runs in Pittsburgh, including one that clears the right-field roof at Forbes Field -- a feat no one had accomplished before. It's one of his final great performances.
Ruth's Career Ends
After 28 games, a .181 average, and six home runs, the Braves release Ruth. His playing career is over at age 40.
I wanted to manage the club. That's all there was to it. When they told me no, there was nothing left for me there.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Babe Ruth leave the Yankees?
Ruth was released by the Yankees on February 26, 1935, after 15 seasons with the club (1920-1934). He'd requested his release after being denied the managerial job. He signed with the Boston Braves, where he lasted just 28 games before retiring.
Why didn't the Yankees let Babe Ruth manage?
Owner Jake Ruppert was committed to Joe McCarthy, who'd managed the team since 1931 and won the 1932 World Series. The front office also questioned Ruth's temperament for management -- his freewheeling personality clashed with the disciplined clubhouse culture McCarthy had built. No major league team ever hired Ruth as a manager.
How did Babe Ruth's career end with the Braves?
Ruth played 28 games for the Boston Braves in 1935, batting .181 with six home runs. His final highlight came on May 25, when he hit three home runs at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, including one that cleared the right-field roof. The Braves released him shortly after, ending his 22-year major league career.
How did the Yankees do without Babe Ruth in 1935?
The Yankees went 89-60 and finished second in the American League, three games behind the Detroit Tigers. Lou Gehrig led the offense (.329/30/119) and George Selkirk replaced Ruth in right field (.312/11/94). The pitching staff led the AL in ERA. However, home attendance dropped to 657,508 -- the Giants outdrew them for the first time in a decade.