Julia Ruth Stevens signs copies of her new book, “Babe Ruth: Remembering the Bambino in Stories, Photos and Memorabilia” at B. Dalton Booksellers at the Sunset Galleria Mall.
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008 | 12:54 p.m.
The way Julia Ruth Stevens remembers it, her father didn't seem much different than anyone else's dad.
"When he came home, we would have dinner together and sometimes we would play cards afterwards, or he and mother would have friends in. It was just a wonderful, wonderful life growing up with him," she said.
The only difference was instead of working at a factory or in an office, Julia Ruth Stevens' father hit home runs for a living.
The man Stevens, now 92-years-old, still calls "daddy" remains the most iconic baseball player of all time — Babe Ruth.
"To me, he was my father just like any other girl. He went to work and what he did was play baseball," said Stevens, who was in Henderson on Nov. 14 signing copies of her new book "Babe Ruth: Remembering The Bambino in Stories, Photos, and Memorabilia."
The book was a joint effort between Stevens, who was adopted by Ruth, and co-author Bill Gilbert, her close friend.
"He would ask me questions and I would say, 'Oh, for Heaven's sake, I've forgotten all about that or 'Gee, I didn't know that before. That's very interesting," said Stevens, who was at B. Dalton Bookseller at the Galleria at Sunset mall.
Green Valley resident Douglas Peck said the book offers a lot of insight about Ruth, who played from 1914-1935.
"What sets it apart is the memorabilia that is in it, like the replica tickets, contracts and that sort of thing," Peck said. "Just to show what the pay scale was in those days where now that would probably mean poverty. You learn real fast that there is a lot more to him than just a ball player, like his affection for children and his family."
Fans of all ages came to see Ruth's daughter and to get her signature.
Jerry Stewart brought his 7-year-old granddaughter Bailey Persival to meet Stevens.
"I'm like Babe Ruth's biggest fan," said Persival, who was born more than 100 years after Ruth. "I really like this book because it has Babe on it and it has a lot of pictures in it, too," Persival said.
Stevens said the reason she keeps publishing books and making public appearances is to further the knowledge of her father and to "keep his name up there and as long as there is baseball."
"I don't think he will ever be forgotten," she said.
Mytae Carrasco can be reached at 948-7848 or [email protected]
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