Nicknamed ' the Bambino' and ' the Sultan of Swat', he began his MLB career as a star left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. George Herman ' Babe' Ruth (Febru– August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Pitched a combined no-hitter on June 23, 1917.