BALTIMORE (WMAR) — The last surviving child of Baltimore born baseball legend, Babe Ruth, has died.
According to her family, Julia Ruth Stevens died on Saturday at a Henderson, Nevada assisted living after battling a short illness. She was 102-years-old.
Stevens her family says will be cremated with burial sometime this spring in New Hampshire.
In 1929, Babe Ruth adopted Stevens at age 12, after marrying her mother, Claire Hodgson.
Mike Gibbons, the Executive Director of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum said Ruth Stevens last visited Baltimore about six years ago. Throughout her life, Ruth Stevens frequently visited Baltimore for museum events and other programs including attending the 1993 Major League Baseball All Star Game at Camden Yards.
"She was a great ambassador for her beloved daddy, for our American pastime, and for the Babe Ruth Museum," said Gibbons. "Sadly, with Julia's passing, it's time to say so-long to those with first-hand knowledge of the greatest and most celebrated player the game of baseball has ever known."
Babe Ruth was born February 6, 1895 in South Baltimore. In 1914, he signed his first professional baseball contract with the minor-league Baltimore Orioles. Later that year he was sold to the Boston Red Sox, followed by the New York Yankees in 1919.
The rest became history. Ruth went onto win seven World Series titles and hit 714 home runs, a record held until 1974.
His birthplace remains one of Baltimore's most popular tourist attractions.
