Career
After graduating from Purdue University with a degree in Civil Engineering, he worked for the Standard Oil Company. In 1912 he was sent to Soochow, China, as a representative of Standard Oil. He created a simplified version of Mahjong with a goal of introducing the game to America.
He trademarked the spelling "Mah-Jongg" which he apparently coined.
His Rules of Mah-Jongg, or the red book, (1920) was used as a rule book for English language players. The game quickly became popular, but several versions were played.
In 1924, the Standardization Committee of the American Official Laws of Mah-Jongg was formed. Babcock was an integral member, and the committee published a standardized rule set.
Many game sets were then produced in the United States by several companies.
