Last week, I was back in Baltimore, Maryland for another work assignment for ABF Freight. Flying in on Sunday, I had some time before I needed to get to the hotel to check in, so… I took the drive from BWI Airport into Downtown Baltimore to check out the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum. It was a gorgeous weather day and from the highway bridge, I could see the Ravens vs Lions game going on at nearby M&T Stadium (more on that later). After a few rights and lefts, finding parking (miracle), I excitingly speed-walked over to check out the birthplace and baseball museum of a baseball superstar like few before and fewer after, George Herman “Babe” Ruth.
After entering the museum and chatting with the front desk attendant, I was politely informed that I only had about 45 minutes before the Ravens game was over. That mean 10s of thousands of fans would be heading to their cars and onto the highways – the ones I needed to travel on to get to my hotel in Columbia, MD. So, I paid the small visitor fee and began a rather hurried tour of the museum. Here are a few photos I took along the way…
Most of what I saw at the museum was somewhat familiar to the Babe Ruth history I house in my baseball brain. The called home run with the pointed bat story, the trek from St. Mary’s to the minor leagues, with a stop in Providence with the Greys, his meteoric rise with the Red Sox, traded to the rival NY Yankees, and his subsequent stardom that few rivaled in the 1920s and 1930s. His charm, his charisma, his philanthropy, his mighty left handed swing, his larger than life personality – all of this was on or in displays at the museum. Every wall, every door, every stairwell seemingly had Babe Ruth photos or baseballs or sports memorabilia or baseball bats. The exhibits were well lit and easy to read and follow along. There were a few cinema type spots in the museum, I just didn’t have extra time to sit and listen to the commentary.
This photo and exhibit showcases the room where Babe Ruth lived in his early childhood. The exhibit shows his birth certificate, childhood photos, and newspaper clippings of that era. Sort of reminded me of my Nanny’s house in Wareham, MA.
I mentioned the Ravens game earlier and have to say that made me rush through the museum, stopping just to take a quick glance at the exhibits. I was happy to take as many photos as I did so I can revisit them now in my home, at my leisure. As I exited the museum, I noticed a series of “Babe Ruth Museum” baseballs painted on the sidewalks around the museum’s street perimeter. That was pretty cool.
The Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore is just minutes from the Inner Harbor, Convention Center, Camden Yards, and a ton of Baltimore attractions. Parking is a bit of an issue on game days, so if you are planning on taking a trip to the museum, check the game schedules for the professional teams playing that day. There is street parking and parking lots, garages, etc so it is possible to find parking. I wish I had more time to read and immerse myself into the exhibits, but such is life. Timing is everything, I think I have said that once or twice in my life. For the baseball fan, for the Babe fan, the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum is a must-see historical stop and very cool baseball experience.
For more information on the museum, head over to Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum.
The Rhiter 