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Babe Ruth's popularity and fame were so widespread that even America's enemies knew of him. Almost a decade after he had bashed his last home run, his presence still was felt.

During World War II, when Japanese soldiers charged American troops, they would sometimes scream, "To hell with Babe Ruth." Not "to hell with FDR" or "to hell with Douglas MacArthur," but "to hell with Babe Ruth."

What bigger compliment could an American receive?

Ruth was a man of mythic proportions. He became even more than the ultimate American sports celebrity. He was "a unique figure in the social history of the United States," wrote Robert Creamer in Babe: The Legend Comes to Life. "For more than any other man, Babe Ruth transcended sports, moved far beyond the artificial limits of baselines and outfield fences and sports pages."

The New York Times called Enrico Caruso "the Babe Ruth of operatic tenors" and Time magazine called Willie Sutton "the Babe Ruth of bank robbers." And even another......

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Approximate Word Count: 1366
Approximate Pages: 6 (250 words per double-spaced page)