s the start of Ruths 12th season with the Yankees, and it also marked the great days of Lou Gehrigs career. Ruth was still a force, but Gehrig was closing the gap. At the end of the season the two players were tied in home runs. In 1933, Ruths once great talent began to erode. Realizing that his playing days were numbered, he threatened the Yankees that he would quit if not given the opportunity to become a manager. After they denied his request, he left the Yankees in 1934. Two years later, the Boston Braves offered to take on Ruth as a part-time player, baiting him with an eventual assistant-manager position. He accepted, and his decision met with mixed feelings among New York fans. Some thought that he was deserving of the opportunity, and others felt that he was selling out. After three months, Ruth became aware of the fact that the Braves only wanted him for his drawing power. They had no intention of giving him a managerial position. He resigned from the team, and made his last appearance as a player in May of 1935, retiring with 714 career home runs (a record that was broken by Hank Aaron in 1974). In 1936, Ruth was part of the first class inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, along with Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, and Christy Mathewson. He became a coach with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1938, but never achieved his goal of managing a major league team. Ruth was diagnosed with cancer in 1946. Although the extent of his illness was kept from him, he knew that his time was limited. He spent the remainder of his life making countless visits to childrens hospitals and orphanages. In 1948, Ruth made his final appearance at Yankee Stadium, celebrating the 25th anniversary of The House that Ruth Built. His number was retired, and April 27th was declared Babe Ruth Day. On August 16, 1948, Ruth died at the age of 53. At the time of his death, he held 54 major league records, including most years leading a league in home...
