Alabama Baseball to Dedicate Hall of Fame in Honor of Babe Ruth McAbee
2/15/2019 12:47:00 PM | Baseball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama baseball program, in connection with the Crimson Tide Foundation, will dedicate the Hall of Fame at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in the name of Babe Ruth McAbee on Friday, Feb. 15, before the Tide's season opener against Presbyterian.
Opened in 2017, the Hall will now be named the "Babe Ruth McAbee Hall of Fame" in honor of McAbee with a ceremony on Friday at 1:45 p.m. CT to commemorate the dedication. The ceremony will include an opening by Chris Stewart, followed by remarks and thank yous by both Deputy Director of Athletics Finus Gaston and the McAbee family. A ribbon cutting ceremony and photo opportunity will follow with the entire event wrapping up prior to the Crimson Tide's 3 p.m. first pitch against the Blue Hose.
Media wishing to cover the event are asked to assemble on the main concourse outside of the Hall of Fame, located just beyond the Gate 3 entrance to Sewell-Thomas Stadium at 1:45 p.m. Once the ceremony has begun, media are welcome to come and go as they please but are asked to avoid creating a disruption upon exiting the Hall of Fame.
Any questions about the event can be directed to Katie King, Director of Special Services and Events. She can be reached via email at kking@ia.ua.edu or over the phone at (205) 348-6610. Media inquires for covering the ceremony may be directed to Alex Thompson of the Athletics Communications Office by email at athompson@ia.ua.edu or by phone at (205) 348-6084.
ABOUT McABEE
The year of 1932 was a tumultuous year for Babe Ruth Barger McAbee's parents. Alabama was hit by a string of supercell tornadoes on March 21, 1932. The family home in Northport was destroyed, but her pregnant mother, father and brother survived by laying in a garden pit. The family was surviving the hunger of the Great Depression by washing and ironing clothes for the job corps
The family's only form of entertainment was to gather around a radio to listen for news or other broadcasts. In 1932, the world's greatest female athlete, Babe Didrickson, won two golden medals and one silver in the Olympics. That same year, George Herman "Babe" Ruth and Joe Sewell played together on the New York Yankees on the way to winning the World Series.
On December 28, 1932, Avis Logan and Wesley Herbert Barger welcomed a little girl into the world. Mr. and Mrs. Barger named their daughter in honor of Mrs. Barger's mother, Rosanne Ruth Franklin, and the famous Babes of 1932.
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