BALTIMORE -- Babe's Birthday Bash went to the bar this year.
The annual event, the proceeds of which benefit the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, was hosted Friday night for the first time by Pickles Pub in downtown Baltimore. With the abrupt closing of The Sports Legends Museum -- located next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards -- in October, the venue change made for a different feel in commemorating the 121st anniversary of Ruth's birth in Baltimore.
But it was still a jovial one, with a Babe lookalike sighting, a cake and a "Happy Birthday" song that loudly echoed the walls of Pickles. The event, which featured unlimited food and beverages, also included appearances by former Ravens offensive lineman Wally Williams, and former Maryland Terrapins basketball stars Ernie Graham and Lonnie Baxter. There was also a silent auction and raffle, with Orioles' Opening Day tickets among the prizes.
There was plenty of O's talk on Friday night, with members of the local media -- MASN's Roch Kubatko, Jim Hunter and Steve Melewski and 105.7's Ken Weinman -- taking fan questions and discussing the state of the team heading into Spring Training.
The Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to perpetuating Maryland's storied sports heritage.