hit 59 home runs in 1921. He'd hit 60 in 1927. But neither of those seasons -- not the raw power peaks, not the mythological numbers -- matched what he did in 1923. That year, Ruth batted .393 (career high), slugged .764, posted a 1.309 OPS, reached base a then-record 379 times, won the only AL MVP of his career, hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium history, and then dominated the World Series as the Yankees captured their first championship. Everything came together at once. It never happened quite like that again.
The Numbers
Ruth's 1923 batting line doesn't need embellishment -- it speaks for itself. The .393 average led the American League. His 41 home runs tied Cy Williams of the Phillies for the league lead. He drew 170 walks (pitchers didn't want to deal with him, and who could blame them?). He scored 151 runs. He drove in 131. His 45 doubles were a career best.
| Batting Average | .393 (career high) |
| Home Runs | 41 (tied for AL lead) |
| RBI | 131 |
| Runs Scored | 151 (led AL) |
| Walks | 170 (led AL) |
| Doubles | 45 (career high) |
| Slugging | .764 |
| OPS | 1.309 |
| Times on Base | 379 (MLB record) |
| AL MVP | Won (only one of his career) |
The MVP detail deserves its own paragraph. The era's voting rules barred previous winners from winning again -- which meant Ruth was eligible exactly once. He made it count. The injustice of it is staggering: the best player in baseball could only win the award a single time because the rules were designed to spread the hardware around. Ruth got his one shot and put up numbers that made the decision unanimous.
Opening Day
April 18, 1923. The opened before 74,200 fans -- the largest crowd in baseball history at that point, with another 25,000 turned away outside. Governor Al Smith threw the first pitch. John Philip Sousa conducted the band. Ruth had told reporters before the game he'd give a year of his life to hit a home run that day.
He didn't need the year. Third inning, two men on, Howard Ehmke pitching for the Red Sox. Ruth drove the ball into the right-field bleachers. Three-run home run -- the first in the stadium's history. The man whose drawing power had financed the $2.5 million building christened it with the most dramatic possible gesture. Fred Lieb wrote it up in the next morning's paper and gave the ballpark its name forever: The House That Ruth Built.
The October Answer
Ruth entered the World Series carrying baggage. He'd batted .313 in the 1921 Series (but the Yankees lost to the Giants) and a miserable .118 in 1922 (the Giants swept them). Giants manager John McGraw had publicly dismissed Ruth's ability to perform in October. The had become McGraw's personal showcase -- until it wasn't.
Ruth's 1923 World Series line: .368 BA, 3 home runs, 8 walks, a .615 on-base percentage. The Giants walked him constantly (eight times across six games), but when they pitched to him, he punished them. Two home runs in Game 2 evened the Series after a Game 1 loss. A third homer in Game 5 gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead. In Game 6, the to win 6-4 and clinch the franchise's first title.
McGraw had called Ruth a postseason liability. Ruth responded with the best World Series of his career to that point -- 3 home runs, more than anyone had ever hit in a single Fall Classic.
The Ruth is mighty and shall prevail.
What Made 1923 Different
Ruth had hit more home runs in other years and would again. But 1923 was the only season where everything converged: the career-high average, the power, the record-setting on-base production, the MVP, the stadium christening, and the October dominance. His 1921 season had more raw power (59 homers). His 1927 season had the iconic number (60). Neither one matched the complete package of 1923 -- the year he did everything a baseball player could do, in the season that mattered most.
On the same roster, a 19-year-old kid named appeared in 13 games and went completely unnoticed. The man who'd eventually stand beside Ruth in Murderers' Row was already there, watching the greatest season anyone had ever played from the far end of the dugout bench.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Babe Ruth's batting average in 1923?
Ruth batted .393 in 1923 -- the highest average of his career. He also led the American League in home runs (41, tied with Cy Williams), slugging percentage (.764), walks (170), runs scored (151), and times on base (379, a major league record at the time). His 1.309 OPS was the best in baseball.
Did Babe Ruth win the MVP award in 1923?
Yes -- and it was the only MVP of his career. The American League's voting rules at the time prohibited previous winners from winning again. Ruth was eligible once, won in 1923, and was permanently disqualified despite continuing to post MVP-caliber seasons for the next decade. The rule is widely regarded as one of the worst injustices in baseball award history.
How did Babe Ruth perform in the 1923 World Series?
Ruth batted .368 with 3 home runs, 3 RBI, 8 walks, and a .615 on-base percentage as the Yankees defeated the Giants four games to two. His 3 home runs set a record for most in a single World Series at the time. The performance answered critics -- particularly Giants manager John McGraw -- who had questioned Ruth's ability to deliver in October after he batted .118 in the 1922 Series.