Babe Ruth and the Creation of the Celebrity Athlete - Softcover

Thomas Barthel (author)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 147666532X ISBN 13: 9781476665320

Publisher: McFarland, 2018

Synopsis

From his first year in the majors, George Herman "Babe" Ruth knew he could profit from celebrity. Babe Ruth Cigars in 1915 marked his first attempt to cash in. Traded to the Yankees in 1920, he soon signed with Christy Walsh, baseball's first publicity agent.

Walsh realized that stories of great deeds in sports were a commodity, and in 1921 sold Ruth's ghostwritten byline to a newspaper syndicate for $15,000 ($187,000 today). Ruth hit home runs while Walsh's writers made him a hero, crafting his public image as a lovable scalawag.

Were the stories true? It didn't matter--they sold. Many survive but have never been scrutinized until now. Drawing on primary sources, this book examines the stories, separating exaggerated facts from clear falsehoods. This book traces Ruth's ascendance as the first great media-created superstar and celebrity product endorser.

About this title

About the Author

Thomas Barthel, a professor emeritus in the State University of New York system, has written nine books on subjects ranging from the Civil War, to baseball history to civil engineering. He lives in Clinton, New York.

Edition details

• Publisher: McFarland
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 147666532X
• ISBN 13: 9781476665320
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 175