By 1927, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were the greatest hitters baseball had ever seen. Together they hit 107 home runs while the rest of the American League hit only 332. Above is a picture of the two men shaking hands with Lloyd and Paul Waner of the Pirates after the 1927 World Series in which the Yankees won in a four-game sweep.

By ’27, there was an increase in the number of broadcasts of games. At first, owners were nervous that being able to listen to the games on the radio would decrease the number of fans in attendance. There worries were soon put to rest, however, because it allowed for an extreme amount of publicity and advertisement. The year also brought “The Great Home Run Derby,” and Americans were excited to watch the strength of their most beloved athletes. These feelings were in accordance with the roaring twenties, a time when industry was soaring, stock prices were rising, cars were being built, and now more home runs were being hit.