In November, 1946, legendary baseball player Babe Ruth was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his neck. Although he had the growth surgically removed and even underwent radiation therapy -- then an experimental approach to fighting cancer -- Ruth's health gradually deteriorated as a result of remnants of the cancer that doctors could not remove. He died on August 16, 1948, at the age of 53, and was buried in the Cemetery of the Gate of Heaven in Hawthorne, New York. More than 100,000 fans attended a memorial at Yankee Stadium and a funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. One of the greatest baseball players of all time, Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs during his major league career, a record that stood until 1974, when Hank Aaron surpassed it. He also led the Yankees to seven pennants, and his exploits in Yankee Stadium were the stuff of legends, prompting generations of fans to refer to Yankee Stadium as "the house that Ruth built."