The original mold for the modern day sports icon
The first sports legend was created in the 1920's in Yankee Stadium with the 1895 birth of the abandoned seven year old child George Herman (the Babe/Bambino) Ruth. (Some may argue that the only more widely known sports celebrity of this modern day 21st century would be the living legend Muhammad Ali.)
The documentary American Hercules: Babe Ruth, draws from Greek mythology the actual parallels that do exist between Babe Ruth and the mythical Hercules who both overcame their early child abandonment to do great things for mankind. In Babe Ruth's case he was a natural athlete who developed his skills in a boys reformatory in Baltimore, St. Mary's Industrial School For Boys where he grew from a lonely boy at age 7 to a young man until the age of 19 when he signed his first professional baseball contract as a minor league pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles.
The documentary deliberately downplays the baseball statistics that Babe Ruth the legend accumulated, as well as his many commercial endorsements, and friendships with other well know celebrities from politicians, to actors to sports icons like Boxing champ Jack Dempsey. Instead the documentary focuses more on how a single baseball player named Babe Ruth was able to capture the hearts of not only all Americans but of people all over the world. Babe Ruth was the first modern mega sport celebrity to hire himself an agent and develop a personal brand that everyone wanted to eat, drink, smoke and wear what Babe was wearing. The Babe was the first celebrity to fully avail himself of all marketing and public relations tools that the medias of the time provided such as with newspapers, radios, commercial advertisements and mass media.
Even more enjoyable than the 60 minute documentary were the extras provided on the DVD release which provides more insight in to the man, the myth, who was Babe (The Bambino) Ruth. We get a glimpse into the 1936 opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and the Babe's competition for the Major League Baseball's batting championships with his younger fellow team mate Lou Gehrig.
Anyone who is a fan of baseball and wants to learn more about the 1920's era of baseball and those championship years of the New York Yankees you will not be disappointed in American Hercules. Babe Ruth was abandoned as a delinquent 7 year old boy and sent to live and grow to become a young man at the St. Mary's Industrial School For Boys in Baltimore. To become baseball's first sports icon we learn that the Babe always remained a fun loving immature man who over ate, drank to excess, loved women and said whatever was on his mind.
The DVD extras must also be seen to understand what made the Babe tick. It is sad to know that he died at a very young age of 53, but that is the legend of the Bambino. I give this documentary a perfect 10 out of 10 rating.
The documentary American Hercules: Babe Ruth, draws from Greek mythology the actual parallels that do exist between Babe Ruth and the mythical Hercules who both overcame their early child abandonment to do great things for mankind. In Babe Ruth's case he was a natural athlete who developed his skills in a boys reformatory in Baltimore, St. Mary's Industrial School For Boys where he grew from a lonely boy at age 7 to a young man until the age of 19 when he signed his first professional baseball contract as a minor league pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles.
The documentary deliberately downplays the baseball statistics that Babe Ruth the legend accumulated, as well as his many commercial endorsements, and friendships with other well know celebrities from politicians, to actors to sports icons like Boxing champ Jack Dempsey. Instead the documentary focuses more on how a single baseball player named Babe Ruth was able to capture the hearts of not only all Americans but of people all over the world. Babe Ruth was the first modern mega sport celebrity to hire himself an agent and develop a personal brand that everyone wanted to eat, drink, smoke and wear what Babe was wearing. The Babe was the first celebrity to fully avail himself of all marketing and public relations tools that the medias of the time provided such as with newspapers, radios, commercial advertisements and mass media.
Even more enjoyable than the 60 minute documentary were the extras provided on the DVD release which provides more insight in to the man, the myth, who was Babe (The Bambino) Ruth. We get a glimpse into the 1936 opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and the Babe's competition for the Major League Baseball's batting championships with his younger fellow team mate Lou Gehrig.
Anyone who is a fan of baseball and wants to learn more about the 1920's era of baseball and those championship years of the New York Yankees you will not be disappointed in American Hercules. Babe Ruth was abandoned as a delinquent 7 year old boy and sent to live and grow to become a young man at the St. Mary's Industrial School For Boys in Baltimore. To become baseball's first sports icon we learn that the Babe always remained a fun loving immature man who over ate, drank to excess, loved women and said whatever was on his mind.
The DVD extras must also be seen to understand what made the Babe tick. It is sad to know that he died at a very young age of 53, but that is the legend of the Bambino. I give this documentary a perfect 10 out of 10 rating.
- Ed-Shullivan
- Aug 13, 2015