Final answer:
Babe Ruth is a celebrated figure in baseball history, starting as a Boston Red Sox pitcher and becoming a legendary hitter with the New York Yankees. His trade marked a significant moment in baseball history, becoming a key player in shaping the sports and cultural landscape of the 1920s.
Step-by-step explanation:
Babe Ruth, known as the Sultan of Swat and Colossus of Clout, started his career as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox before his contentious move to the New York Yankees. This trade is one of the most controversial in baseball history and led to the popularization of the 'Curse of the Bambino,' which was a superstitious explanation for the Red Sox's subsequent 86-year championship drought.
Ruth became a cultural icon in the 1920s due to his legendary hitting skills, setting records such as his monumental 60 home runs in 1927. His larger-than-life personality and lifestyle choices mirrored the excesses of the decade, securing his place not only in sports history but also as a symbol of American culture during an era when baseball was America.
Apart from his sports career, Ruth used radio and other promotional activities, such as barnstorming tours during the off-season, to enhance his fame. He played against a variety of competitors, including African American and Japanese American teams, transcending the racial divide that existed in organized baseball at the time.