100 Years Ago Today: Babe Ruth's 1st Home Run

Rachel G. Bowers, Globe:

The day Babe Ruth hit his first major league home run, he also pitched 12.1 innings.

It was May 6, 1915 — 100 years ago today — in a 4-3, 13-inning loss to the Yankees at the Polo Grounds in New York. ...

Ruth's first three career home runs came against the Yankees. His second came again at the Polo Grounds in a 7-1 Red Sox win on June 2. His first home run at Fenway Park came 23 days later, on June 25 against the Yankees, in a 9-5 Boston victory.

Ray Cavanaugh, Post:

[Ruth] was the first batter in the top of the third inning. He turned on the first pitch he saw from Jack Warhop and belted it into Seat 26, Section 3 of the right-field grandstand.

It was his 18th official at-bat and fifth hit since his major league debut on July 11, 1914. His previous four hits consisted of three doubles and one single, according to the Society for American Baseball Research. ...

Wilmot E. Giffin, journalist for the New York Evening Journal, said of Ruth: "When he is not pitching, they can use him for an outfielder and pinch hitter. In these days of efficiency he is the ideal player."

Baseball Reference has the box score.