Home Runs & History: Babe Ruth’s Last Spring Training in Florida

On March 13, 1934, Babe Ruth played in one of his final spring training games with the New York Yankees, at Crescent Lake Park in St. Petersburg.

From 1925 to 1942, the city hosted Yankees spring training, drawing locals and tourists eager to see Ruth and his legendary teammates in action. Even near the end of his career, Ruth’s batting practice and massive home runs were the talk of the town.

At 39, Ruth was preparing for his last full season with the team he had helped make famous. In the 1920s, he transformed baseball with unprecedented power hitting, smashing 467 home runs and ushering in the live-ball era.

By 1934, years of travel, injuries, and wear had slowed him. He remained a dangerous hitter, batting .288 with 22 home runs that season, though the Yankees often replaced him late in defense games.

On July 13, he hit his 700th career home run, cementing his place in history. St. Petersburg fans witnessed one of the final chapters of the Sultan of Swat’s legendary career and a defining era in baseball.

Although he would return the following spring with the Boston Braves, this was notably the final spring training for Ruth, who had joined the team that year. This marked the end of Ruth’s playing career, as he retired shortly after the season began in June 1935.