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On this date in 1935, George Herman "Babe" Ruth retires from baseball.

Starting as a Hall of Fame class pitcher for the Boston Red Sox [He also won several games in his Yankees career], Ruth established a record for shut out innings pitching in the world Series that stood until toppled by whitey Ford. But he was such a great hitter, he began alternating pitching and playing right field on his 'off' days, so the Sox could make use of his bat.

Then in 1920, the owner of the Red Sox, Broadway producer sold Ruth to the New York Yankees. Neither Ruth, or the Yankees ever looked back. Ruth, in company with Tony Lazzari, Lou Gehrig, Lefty Gomez and a lineup called "Murderers' row, ran up seven pennants, and four world Series championships [the Sox, who had won five Series before they traded Ruth, wouldn't win another until 2004].

But as Ruth aged, his interests turned to managing. the Yankees, perfectly happy with Miller Huggins, and aware of Ruth's lack of personal discipline, wouldn't hear it. With his skills eroding, Ruth agreed to a trade to the Boston Braves, believing he would manage the team in the near future. His belief was chimerical. the Braves wanted ruth as a 'draw', nothing more. So when Ruth realized he had been duped, he played out the season, and retired. He would go on to 'coach' the Brooklyn Dodgers for the same belief, with the same result.

Ruth's 714 home run record wasn't broken until 1974 [Hank Aaron]. His single season best of 60 HR wasn't broken until 1961 [Roger Maris]. His .690 slugging percentage has never been topped. He stole home some ten times. His BA was well north of .300

Babe Ruth died of throat cancer in 1948. Over 100,000 people visited Yankee Stadium when he lay in state for two days.

Seventy years after his death , Babe Ruth is still one of the most well known, and beloved baseball players of all time. One can argue that he is still the face of baseball. And he retired from the game on this date.

Babe Ruth was the greatest baseball player in history. Period.

It was, up to that time, the biggest Naval engagement  of modern times. It was a tactical victory for the Germans, but a strategic victory for the British. And it was fought off the coast of neutral Denmark.

Jutland was Imperial Germany' last real attempt to confront the Royal Navy in the first World War. It began when two battlecruiser fleets fought a meeting engagement, a feigned withdrawal by the Germans to lure the British onto the main battleship line of the Imperial Navy. A pursuit to the north followed, which resulted in the Germans running into the British Grand Fleet.

The battle occurred in two distinct phases: a battle between the battle cruisers of David Beatty and Franz von Hipper, and then a much larger battle between the two main opposing fleets.

The first battle went clearly to the Germans, when two British battle cruisers were sunk, and 2,000 sailors lost. The second battle resulted in more sinkings, with the Germans outnumbered almost two to one in warships. But the German fleet commander evaded the British net by executing not once, but twice, simultaneous reversals of all his ships, With night falling, the Germans escaped through a minefield to their home bases.

The Germans lost 11 ships, including a battleship. but the British lost 14 ships, including three battlecruisers. Those losses reflected much better construction of the German ships, especially in the area of compartmentalization, and better damage control procedures used by the german sailors.

The High Seas Fleet never sailed again, except into captivity, and scuttling at Scapa Flow. and disaffected  sailors, believing their officers were going to do a 'death and glory' suicide run on the royal Navy in 1918, became one of the leading elements in the revolts that swept Germany at the end of the war.

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, p.14

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, 'Operation Merkur [Operation Mercury]', p.2

And when you remember, have a thought for the gold Star Families. For them, every day is Memorial Day...

Yes, thank you for reminding us about the gold Star Families!!

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, p. 13

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, "The Rhine Exercise", p.2

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, "La Paradis", p.13

And when you remember, have a thought for the gold Star Families. For them, every day is Memorial Day...