Babe Ruth died from cancer in his throat/nasopharynx that had spread throughout his body, and he ultimately succumbed on August 16, 1948, at age 53.

Medical cause

Doctors eventually determined that Ruth had nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a type of cancer that begins behind the nose and at the upper part of the throat, rather than simple “larynx” or vocal-cord cancer as was long believed. The tumor and its spread caused severe pain, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, and progressive weakness during his final two years.

Circumstances of death

Near the end, the cancer and its complications left him vulnerable to infections, and reports note that he developed pneumonia and respiratory problems as the disease advanced. He died in a New York hospital on the evening of August 16, 1948, with the official cause given as cancer of the throat region.