It was on this day exactly one-hundred years ago that the greatest baseball player of all time made his major-league debut. Of course, no one knew that at the time. When nineteen-year-old George Herman Ruth, Jr. (better known by his nickname, “Babe”) took the mound for the Boston Red Sox on July 11, 1914, he was still a relatively unknown southpaw with a penchant for boisterous behavior. The Babe surrendered eight hits in seven innings and went 0-for-2 at the plate while leading the Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over the visiting Cleveland Naps. Among those on the field that day were future legends Tris Speaker, Nap Lajoie, and even the great Shoeless Joe Jackson. To read what early-twentieth-century sportswriters thought about Ruth’s debut, check out the links here, here, and here. (Note that the Washington Herald and Richmond Times-Dispatch both misidentified the young pitcher as “Baby” Ruth.) Meanwhile, you can also read what early-twenty-first– century sportswriters think about Ruth’s debut by checking out the links here and here.