www.baberuthmuseum.org

Vol. I, Issue 4 Summer 2015 INTRODUCING The Brand New Birthplace

INSIDE THIS ISSUE WHAT’S COMING UP?

Message from the Director, Page 2 August 23 - 1800s Baseball with Richard D’Ambrisi Amanda’s Pick, page 3 September 10 - Wine Event Mike Ricigliano Toon, page 4 September 24 - Bring in your sports collection Babe’s Forgotten Anniversary, page 5 (Members Only) Can i get your Autograph? page 6 Visit www.baberuthmuseum.org for details. Visit us Online! @SportsLegendsMD FROM THE DIRECTOR facebook.com/MDSportsMuseum MUSEUM NEWS

BABE RUTH BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION Don’t Forget! Congratulations Shawn! 216 Emory Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 Museum members can enter We would like to congratulate long-time Chief Curator t’s been a long time coming,” goes the Crosby, (410) 727-1539 the Maryland Zoo for free and Acting Director of Development Shawn Herne “I www.baberuthmuseum.org Stills and Nash lyric, and that certainly is true when it until August 31. Present your on his appointment as Executive Director of the comes to the renovation of the Babe Ruth Birthplace Executive Director Babe Ruth Birthplace/Sports Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis. Shawn was a Museum. Since opening to the public in 1974, the Mike Gibbons Legends membership card dedicated member of our staff, a leader, and a friend for upon entry to receive free attraction maintained much of its original infrastructure Director of 11 years, and we wish him the best in this new chapter admission for 2 adults and 2 until the winter of 2014, when a new roof was installed. Community Relations of his life. Vanessa Milio will be with us into the fall to children or for 1 adult and 3 But this spring, from early March to early June, a major overhaul of the John Ziemann manage development. She joins us after many years of facility resulted in a new entranceway on the north side of the building, the children. nonprofit development leadership both in Baltimore installation of an elevator and Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliant Interim Director of Development City and Harford County. restrooms, and a complete overhaul of all of the exhibition galleries save for Vanessa Milio the historic Birthplace, which maintained its February, 1895 appearance. Director of Business Development On June 12, the Museum reopened to rave reviews and critical acclaim, John Hein featuring 11 new audio/visual displays, Ruth’s kimono and toiletry kit from his 1934 tour of Japan, an all-new Called Shot Theater, and Clayton Moore’s Chief Financial Officer Storiesmand from oura’s collectionsPick vault complete Lone Ranger costume from the 1950’s TV hit. Ruth’s favorite radio Scott Mattingly A show was the Lone Ranger, and though the Bambino never saw the TV Object: Babe Ruth’s Kimono version, we thought visitors would appreciate the connection. Curator of Collections Date: 1934 American All-Star Tour of Japan Amanda Peacock The new entranceway provides sidewalk wheelchair access, while the new Why do we have it? In 1934, Babe and a team of top American baseball players elevator services the lobby and both gallery levels, plus the third floor staff Membership and of the day, including future Baseball Hall of Famers , , Lefty offices. Additional renovation work is slated for later this summer, including Group Sales Coordinator Gomez, Charlie Gehringer, and Earl Averill traveled to Japan to take on a host of replacement of the windows and doors on the front of the building, plus new Patrick Dickerson Japanese teams in an 18 game match-up. fencing and landscaping for the backyard reception area. Why in this issue? Babe’s Kimono, also known as a happi coat because of its shorter After years and years of anticipation, the Birthplace has joined the ranks of Facilities Justin Packard length, was one of his favorite keepsakes from his trip to Japan. As part of the recent 21st Century historic house museums! Hoorah! Babe Ruth Birthplace renovations, we have moved this object from Sports Legends to the Birthplace in order to help tell the story of Babe’s Japan adventure. Come see it, Newsletter Editor along with many other cool items, on display at the newly renovated Birthplace! Doug Roberts

Mike Gibbons, Executive Director The “Un-” Experience

It was a record-breaking day in baseball: April 29, 2015, the game that no fans could watch—at least from the stands. We lined up with others at the fence of Oriole Park at Camden Yards to try Welcome New Members! and catch a glimpse of the action. One fan jumped on the Light Rail and made it to Oriole Park just in time for the first pitch. Matt Robert Anzilotti, Jr. Lisa Reid Stengel is a city resident and is the store manager at North Charles Wine and Spirits next to Eddie’s Emily Brown Elmer Sacks of Roland Park. We asked Matt what it was like. Kelly Cantly Jeffrey Sacks “It was certainly surreal. The stands were empty and I was with one hundred to one hundred Colby Dye Dustin Schadt and fifty fans gathered along the left center field fence just behind the bull pen. I live in Baltimore and I love going to O’s games, even though there were more important things happening in the city. Lee Lowenfish Fred Shoken Baseball to me is a release and a distraction, and to get down there and to not have to be completely Lori Millar Matt Whitfield focused on the negativity happening in the city was, I think, important.” Thomas Otto and Family

2 The Sports Page/Summer 2015 The Sports Page/Summer 2015 3 Visit us Online! @SportsLegendsMD CORNER facebook.com/MDSportsMuseum BASEBALL EXTRAS ids facebook.com/MDSportsMuseum K For your a-maze-ment A Visit from ‘Joey Bats’ and an Unforgettable Moment Find your way By Mike Gibbons

to the new museum! ike most young people, professional archives, where José Can you get to the Babe Ruth L athletes, by and large, have little or held one of Babe Ruth’s no use for history. In my 32 years at the bats from the 1927 Birthplace from the Sports START museum, I can count on one hand the season. Legends Museum at Camden number of active pros who really care Later on, José Yards? Follow the maze to get about the history of the games they play. was approached by a to the new entrance on Dover And so when the agent of Toronto father and son, fans Street. Blue Jays’ star José Bautista contacted of the Jays, who had us about José visiting Sports Legends cheered on the team Don’t forget that when you during an early-April Blue Jays series in in New York and then FINISH actually come to visit, just Baltimore, we were more than delighted to followed them to follow the Babe Ruth Museum accommodate. Baltimore. The father ‘Joey Bats’ arrived promptly for our asked if José would sign Toronto Blue Jays slugger José Bautista holds a Babe Ruth baseballs painted on the designated 12:00pm meeting, accompanied a ball for his son, saying bat in a special tour of the museum archives. sidewalk. Start at the numbers by his agent and his father, who had flown that he had thrown that plaza next to Sports Legends, from his native Dominican Republic to be very ball to his boy in the José ‘Joey Bats’ Bautista: baseball and they will lead you right to with his son on the first road trip of the stands at . He signed it, historian, and a little bit like the Babe the Babe’s door. season. posing for pictures with the father and his when it comes to home runs…with a real I gave the trio a behind-the-scenes starry-eyed offspring, who will remember affection for the game’s youngest fans. tour of our facility, including a trip to the that moment for the rest of his life. Answer The Forgotten Anniversary Now By Jim Henneman

ny anniversary involving “The 11 at-bats before calling it quits. Online! Babe” always gets proper Ruth played leftfield and had only one A recognition around here, but the at-bat in his final game, perhaps fittingly on Baltimore Baseball Minutes one that took place the last week of May Memorial Day. Although most fans of the hit the web in their 25th year almost slipped by without notice. It was 80 era remember who Lou Gehrig replaced years ago, May 30, 1935, that Babe Ruth (Wally Pipp) and who replaced him (Babe Get your baseball history fast—60 played his last game, but he did not go Dahlgren) at first base for the Yankees, few seconds fast, to be exact—with the out with a three-home bang as myth could tell you who replaced Ruth, at least popular radio short series “Balti- would have it. partly because he was no longer wearing more Baseball Minutes,” hosted by Babe played the last two months of pinstripes and playing leftfield for the Executive Director Mike Gibbons “Why it’s called B-More!” his career with the downtrodden Boston Braves. Hal Lee is the answer to that trivia and Newsletter Editor Doug Rob- By Michael Ricigliano Braves, and his farewell wasn’t as glorious question, and even though he would go erts. From Babe to Buck, Baltimore’s as it would have been had he hung it up a 3-for-4 the rest of the way, the Braves lost to 25-year radio tradition finally goes Michael Ricigliano draws cartoons for PRESS week earlier. Five days before his farewell the Phillies, 11-6. online. BOX and contributes to the SUN, USA TODAY, appearance Ruth did in fact hit three The only similarity about that game and Sports Weekly and the LA Times. For those of homers in one game – during a 4-for-4 the rest of The Babe’s career is that he was Visit baberuthmuseum.org us with long memories Michael also created the effort that still wasn’t enough to prevent an wearing a Boston uniform when it ended, hilarious Irsay Dummy. 11-7 loss to the Pirates. just as he had when it started with the Red /baseballminutes/ for the That game, on May 25 in Pittsburgh’s Sox. newest installments in the Chech out his Toon Trivia feature on GoComics Forbes Field might have provided the – Jim Henneman is a long-time Baltimore at gocomics.com/ricigs-toon-trivia. backdrop for a storybook finish, but The sports writer, the author of “60 Years Of series. Babe would play in five more games, one Oriole Magic” and the “Upon Further as a pinch-hitter, and go hitless in his last Review” column on www.pressboxonline.com.

4 The Sports Page/Summer 2015 The Sports Page/Summer 2015 5 Visit us Online! @SportsLegendsMD BASEBALL EXTRAS facebook.com/MDSportsMuseum

Can I get your autograph? Listen In! The Original Preakness Infield Party Baltimore Sports’ Untold Stories from interviews by John Patti We all can’t wait for that moment when our favorite player is just footsteps away, pen in hand. Some autographs come after months of waiting for that meet-and-greet, others come completely by chance--in unlikely ways. t’s the middle jewel of horse racing’s His name is Chick Lang and while he Here’s an unlikely story from local audio producer and engineer Betsy Harmatz about the time she suddenly I Crown, The Preakness Stakes. passed away in March, 2010 his legacy will ended up with a one-of-a-kind autograph from one of her favorite sports legends, Brooks Robinson. The Preakness is always run on the third live on forever in the Preakness Infield. Saturday in May. For decades that day has The Preakness Infield party actually rooks Robinson was at my studio love it. And even though I loved the book – Betsy Harmatz is the owner of BHAudio been defined as part horse race and mostly started as a family affair in 1965. Chick, they should have a lacrosse game out there. recording and I remembered that I loved him more, and I asked, “Brooks, Recordings and is one of the premier audio a party. The Preakness infield is where that part of the Cohen management team He reached out to all of the local colleges I had a book that was for children would you like to have it?” And he said, producer/engineers on the east coast. massive party is staged. of Pimlico Race Course, convinced the and the rest is history. B The 140th running of the Preakness Cohens that the only way to grow the So 50 years later, the legacy of Chick called “Brooks Robinson, Sports Hero” by “No I want you to have it…but let me sign Among the many Hollywood stars and Marshall and Sue Burchard. It was for sale it for you.” sports celebrities she has recorded are Chris Stakes on May 16, 2015 saw an all-time Preakness was to open the infield to Lang lives on in the Preakness infield. By in a library a couple of years earlier and Rock, Nicole Kidman, Ray Lewis, Johnny record crowd of 131,680 people cram into patrons on Preakness Day. Not having the way, Chick will forever be at that party. I loved it. So after the recording session Unitas and Pam Shriver. Betsy was game/ the oval at Pimlico Race Course to watch anyone to put out there, the Langs turned Chick’s wishes were to be cremated and eventual Triple Crown winner American to their daughter Debbie, a middle to have his ashes sprinkled in the winner’s I said, “Brooks, I have a wonderful book ...I asked, ‘Brooks, would music engineer at Memorial Stadium and about you for children” and he said, “You helped design the closing cerimonies. She Pharoah run the 1- 3/16ths mile faster schooler, for help. Debbie was told to invite circle at Pimlico. do?” I said, “Yeah, let me go get it,” and you like to have it?’ And continued in that capacity for the opening of than 7 other challengers. some of her friends. I showed it to him. He seemed really he said, ‘No, I want you to Oriole Park, including the All-Star game in As I gazed at the massive amount of Debbie invited 8 friends that first year. Listen to the interview at enchanted. I don’t know if he had ever have it...but let me sign it 1992 and Cal Ripken’s 2131 record-breaking humanity enjoying the day with nearly The next year she invited so many friends baberuthmuseum.org/sports-page. non-stop entertainment on multiple stages, that they had to rent a school bus. Those seen it before or forgotten, but he paged for you.’ year. Betsy has provided the sound for many through it, looked at the pictures and said, exhibits in the Sports Legends and Babe I couldn’t help but think of the man who is middle schoolers were part of about 500 – John Patti has anchored and reported for “This is really great!” He really seemed to Ruth museums. She also makes a world responsible for the Preakness Infield party. people in the Preakness Infield that year. WBAL Radio since 1984. class motzoh ball soup. The following year, as Chick tirelessly promoted the Preakness, he decided that Have your own autograph story? efore the 2014 season, the Oriole The folks at Camden Yards liked the Send it in! We would love to read about times you got hero of the game got a pie in the idea, and before the beginning of the face. But sometimes it wasn’t that 2014 season she received the OK from an autograph, met your favorite player, or if you have an Bmuch fun for the players. Adam Jones (who invented the ritual) and heirloom with a great back story. Submit your memories Late in the 2013 baseball season Dangerously Delicious cream pies became to [email protected], and we may publish Mary Wortman, who owns Dangerously the players’ smash-in-the-face “confection your story in the next newsletter! Delicious Pie stores in Canton and of choice.” Hampden, heard that several Oriole Well, I can certainly understand that. Players were not real happy about the Who wouldn’t go for lemon meringue over Call 410-727-1539 x3033 for questions. award because the shaving cream pies Noxema brushless? made their eyes sting. Ms Wortman proudly explained, “We So, Ms Wortman decided to offer her make all 70 types of our pies from scratch. homemade cream pies as a substitution. And for the Orioles, we provide two cream We’re part of Baltimore Eats for Good this year! Get over Photo courtesy Todd Olszewski, Baltimore Orioles pies for each home game. One for eating $500 in local restaurant savings and support your favorite and one for smashing.” local sports museums. Visit www.baberuthmuseum.org to “It’s special for us being a small Baltimore-based bakery. We feel like we access our online deal book. The Ballpark are part of the team, building morale and helping the guys we love so much.” Food Review I love Ms Wortman’s pies, and you will too. Go ahead, visit dangerouspies.com. usly Delicious You know you want to. Dangero – Doug Roberts is a volunteer writer and edition editor who for 23 years reviewed restaurants $500 Restaurant Savings for a by Doug Roberts for WBAL Radio. Limited Time The Sports Page/Summer 2015 7 6 The Sports Page/Summer 2015 Babe Ruth Birthplace and Sports Legends Museum 216 Emory Street Baltimore, MD 21230