Lore of the Bambino

More than seventy years after his death, Babe Ruth continues to fascinate generations of fans. His exciting adventures on and off the field have become essential reading for students of baseball and pop culture. While most Ruth biographies are filled with mundane facts, Lore of the Bambino is the equivalent of a greatest hits compilation. Ruth's extraordinary (and at times incredulous) tales carry readers on an enthralling journey through the life of the most celebrated sports figure of the twentieth century. All of the most popular anecdotes (such as the Babe's alleged "called shot" in the 1932 World Series) are thoroughly covered along with many lesser known narratives. The book is divided into two sections. In Part One, Ruth's life and career are recounted chronologically. Part Two contains assorted stand-alone anecdotes in shorter form. Appendices include statistics, a chronology, and salary details among other bits of pertinent information.

From sportswriter and author Lew Freedman: "There is no such thing as too much Babe Ruth and Jonathan Weeks' new book Lore of the Bambino: 100 Great Babe Ruth Stories proves it. Babe Ruth is indisputably the greatest baseball player of all-time and revolutionized the game through his home run power. Talent and accomplishment combined with personality and flare to elevate him. But not every story has been told. Weeks presents a broad mix of the best-known and the lesser-known Ruthian stories. Intriguing nuggets describe little-known aspects of Ruth's life of how he almost played for the Cincinnati Reds, about his mother, how he sank a piano through the ice at his farm in Sudbury, Massachusetts, how once he toyed with switch hitting, and how he and famed teammate Lou Gehring performed a comedy sketch together. Lovers of the game always listen up for a Ruth account. As is written in the introduction, more than 70 years after Ruth's 1948 death people still talk about him. They always will. Since the numbers of people who witnessed first-hand Ruth on the diamond have relentlessly dwindled, reading about him in a collection like this is the best way to get to know him." From Rory Costello, Co-Chair, SABR Baseball Biography Project: "This concise high-level overview brings Ruth to a new generation." From Zack Hample, author of The Baseball: Stunts, Scandals, and Secrets Beneath the Stitches: "I knew that the Babe was larger than life but MY GOD. This page-turner reveals the old-timey madness of the baseball world and the stunning complexity of its first true superstar." From author and baseball historian Ronald T. Waldo: "In Lore of the Bambino, author Jonathan Weeks encapsulates the true essence of this iconic legend who saved baseball. Weeks skillfully takes the reader on a magical journey covering Ruth's life and baseball career along with the many legendary stories that added to the Babe's mythical mystique. From Ruth's days at St. Mary's School for Boys through the "Called Shot" in the 1932 World Series and beyond, Weeks artfully weaves all these events together in entertaining, informative and enlightening fashion. A must-read for those who enjoy baseball and the history of Babe Ruth."

A lifelong sports fan, Weeks has published several non-fiction books on the topic of baseball. Additionally, he has two novels to his credit--one of them a posthumous collaboration with his father. His latest project: Best of the Bruins: Boston's All Time Great Players and Coaches, is due out in 2021.