Babe Ruth

by Guernsey Van Riper

Published 31 October 1986
Discover the childhood of Babe Ruth, baseball legend and American history all-star.

Babe Ruth was one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and for good reason: he broke countless records and hit 714 home runs, an achievement that went unmatched from 1935 until 1974. A legend in baseball and an American icon, Babe Ruth’s impressive tenure with the Red Sox and later the New York Yankees left an enduring legacy.

But did you know that Babe Ruth spent his childhood in an orphanage and reformatory—and that baseball was introduced to him by monks? This narrative biography explores the early life and influences that shaped an athletic boy into an American sports hero.

Knute Rockne

by Guernsey Van Riper and Jr

Published 1 October 1986
A biography focusing on the childhood of the legendaryu football coach at Notre Dame, who won fame for his insistence on good sportsmanship and his football strategy.

Lou Gehrig

by Guernsey Van Riper

Published 31 October 1986

Jim Thorpe

by Guernsey Van Riper

Published 31 October 1986
A biography of the American Indian known as one of the best all-round athletes in history, for his accomplishments as an Olympic medal winner as well as an outstanding professional football and basebell player.


A biography of the well-loved baseball personality who set many records and made home runs a common part of the game.