As baseball fans pass through iron gates into Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Babe Ruth looks on through bronze eyes.
Sculptor and Baltimore native Susan Luery looks back and beams at her creation ? the 9.5-foot bronze Babe Ruth statue.
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She produced the detailed statue after reading books about Babe, talking to people with background knowledge in baseball to get a sense of his character and bringing a look-alike into the studio.
“I was intrigued by the concept of Babe Ruth as an American icon ? I thought he was amazing,” Luery said. “Going into this, I really didn?t know anything about him, but I learned about his disregard for authority, his joy for life, his talent and sense of humor. This is where Babe Ruth got his start. From a sports aspect, this is important to Baltimore history: He was more than just a ballplayer.”
Luery spent seven months forming the 28-inch model statue before creating the large-scale statue, which took less time.
Babe lived above a saloon where short center field is today. That determined the statue?s placement, Babe Ruth Museum Executive Director Michael Gibbons said. Babe often walked past the site on his way to the train station.
The statue shows Babe with a fielder?s mitt in his right hand, but he?s left-handed, Gibbons said.
“The artist asked for a glove circa 1914 but she didn?t flip it, and nobody on the committee caught it,” Gibbons said. “It gives the statue a little notoriety.”
Babe wore a right-handed catcher?s mitt on his left hand when catching balls, but quickly switched it to his righthand to throw with his left, Gibbons said. The statue isn?t accurate because the glove is a fielder?s mitt and should be a catcher?s.
Luery differs on the glove controversy.
“He was a well-known left-handed batter and I wanted to show his range on the field,” Luery said. “I put a right-handed glove on a left-handed guy ? he wasn?t batting and pitching at the same time.”
As for the look of the Babe statue, she said, “His poise was in the sense of determination that he was a great player. He?s facing out ? he had everything in front of him.”
Born in Baltimore as George Herman Ruth Jr., Babe acquired his nickname at age 19, according to baberuth.com, the official Babe Ruth Web site. Jack Dunn, owner and manager of the Baltimore Orioles, then a Boston Red Sox minor league team, recognized Babe?s talent and offered him a contract. Players noticed Babe and called him “Jack?s newest babe.” It stuck.
Quick look
» Year built: May 1995
» Sculptor: Susan Luery
» Cost: About $125,000
» Fun fact: Babe is wearing a 1914 Orioles uniform which is evident by the ?B? on his left sleeve that stands for Baltimore.
