Babe Ruth Birthday Party

02/10/2026

Here’s 80 photos from the Babe’s Big Birthday Bash at Nemo’s Bar in Corktown on Saturday.
Thanks to all the Ruthian Rooters who braved the cold temperatures to raise a glass and eat a hot dog in memory of Babe Ruth.
Can’t wait to see everyone at my 40th annual celebration on Saturday, FebRUTHary 6th, 2027.

With Ruthian Regards,
Tom Derry

02/08/2026

Thank you to all the Ruthian Revelers who packed into Nemo's Bar in Corktown last night for the World’s Largest Babe Ruth Celebration.
The great Babe would have turned 131-years-old on FebRUTHary 6th.
Fans of baseball’s most famous slugger traveled from all over the country to attend Detroit’s Best Winter Party.
Babe Ruth’s grandson Tom Stevens joined us once again for an evening of beer and hot dogs.
Babe’s great-grandson Brent Stevens was also in attendance with his friend Stu Dressler.
Brent and Stu sold and signed copies of the new book they published with their friend Kelly Bennett called “Out Of The Mouth Of Babe.”
We were honored to have Joyce Stearnes Thompson join us again at Nemo’s.
Joyce is the daughter of Detroit Stars Hall of Famer Norman “Turkey” Stearnes.
Turkey was one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
And Wally Pipp returned again to celebrate with us at the ultimate Hot Stove League Party.
He is the grandson of Wally Pipp, who was a two-time American League home run champion, and friend and teammate of Babe Ruth.
Our good friend Ike Blessitt was also in the house last night.
Ike was a member of the Eastern Division Champion Detroit Tigers in 1972.
We want to thank Neal Rubin of the Detroit Free Press for his outstanding article on our party that was published on Thursday.
Neal captured the spirit of our event, and also of the adventurous side of Ruth when he visited Detroit.
The amazing Bob Anderson (BobKat Art) returned again to draw his caricatures of the Ruthian Rooters.
His artwork always hits it out of the park.
The incredible Jerry Lemenu was in attendance, and his magnificent Ruthian artwork was displayed throughout Nemo’s Bar.
Thanks to Jeff and Pamela Apap for assembling our popular party buttons.
And thanks to Fritz Klingler for always printing up our new posters to display.
2026 marks 100 years since Babe Ruth hit a monstrous home run against the Tigers at Navin Field.
The blast off Detroit pitcher Lil Stoner happened on June 8, 1926.
The shot cleared the right field wall, landed on the roof of a taxi cab across Trumbull Avenue, then bounced and rolled down Plum Street.
At 8pm last night, a hearty group of Babe Ruth fans exited Nemo’s Bar to walk off the path of one of the longest home runs in baseball history.
They braved the bitter cold while marching down Michigan Avenue to Trumbull, and then down Plum Street, before returning to Nemo’s for more beer and hot dogs.
The good people from Red Hots Chili grilled up tasty frankfurters all night long, and served them up with their unrivaled coney sauce.
Thank you to Christina, Richard, and the entire Red Hots family.
Thank you to the Babe Ruth Army of volunteers who spent three weeks transforming Nemo’s Bar into The House That Ruth Built.
Thanks to Oz, Tara, and the entire crew at Nemo’s.
Thank you for allowing us to take over your famous bar for a month.
I didn’t think anyone would show up at my first Babe Ruth Birthday Party on Grand River Avenue in 1988.
It’s been a mind-blowing experience watching this event grow in popularity over the years.
I’m so thankful to my friends and family for making this possible.
And thanks to my Sweet Sarah Jane for tolerating my strange obsession with this yearly gathering.
I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone at my 40th annual party on FebRUTHary 6th, 2027.
Party photos are coming soon.

With Ruthian Regards,
Tom Derry

Pictured left to right—Babe’s grandson Tom Stevens and Babe’s great-grandson Brent Stevens.
You can follow them at Babe Ruth Central.

02/06/2026

Happy Birthday, Babe.
The great George Herman “Babe” Ruth was born 131 years ago in Baltimore, Maryland.
We’ll gather together tomorrow, FebRUTHary 7th at 7:14pm at Nemo’s Bar in Corktown to celebrate the life of baseball’s most famous slugger.
Babe’s grandson Tom Stevens will join us, along with Babe’s great grandson Brent Stevens.
They are both looking forward to drinking beer and eating hot dogs with the baseball fans of Detroit.
Brent and his friend Stu Dressler will also be selling and signing copies of a book they co-authored called “Out Of The Mouth Of Babe.”
The good people from Red Hots Chili will be serving up 714 hot dogs featuring their famous coney sauce.
This is the ultimate Hot Stove League celebration .
Hope you can join us!

Nemo’s Bar is located at 1384 Michigan Ave in Detroit.
Free admission and parking.

Colorization of Babe Ruth by Chris Whitehouse of They Played in Color Galleries.

02/05/2026

Our Babe Ruth Birthday Bash is featured in today’s Detroit Free Press.
Thanks to Neal Rubin for this wonderful piece on Detroit’s Best Winter Party.
Yes, it’s supposed to be cold on Saturday, but we’ll have a fire pit in the parking lot, and warm tasty coney dogs served up by the good people from Red Hots Chili.
Let’s party like The Babe at Nemo’s Bar on Saturday night!

Nemo’s is located at 1384 Michigan Avenue in Detroit .
Free admission and parking .

02/04/2026

Babe Ruth loved to party with the people of Detroit in the 1920s.
One hundred years later, Babe Ruth’s family enjoys celebrating with the people of Detroit.
We’re pleased that Babe’s grandson Tom Stevens will once again raise a glass with the Ruthian Revelers at Nemo’s Bar in Corktown.
And Babe’s great grandson Brent Stevens will also be joining us.
Brent and his friends Stu Dressler and Kelly Bennett recently published a book of Babe Ruth quotes called “Out Of The Mouth Of Babe.”
Brent and Stu will be selling and signing copies of this cool book.
Be sure to pick up a copy for yourself or your favorite baseball fan.
And of course, Tom, Brent and Stu will be enjoying beer, hot dogs, and talking baseball with all the great people at Nemo’s.
We hope you can join us on Saturday , FebRUTHary 7th at 7:14pm.

Nemo’s is located at 1384 Michigan Avenue in Detroit.
Free admission and parking.

Top left—The outstanding new book, Out Of The Mouth Of Babe.
Top right—Babe Ruth celebrating in the basement of a house in Detroit around 1928.
Bottom—Brent Stevens, party regular Matt Boland, and Tom Stevens in 2020.

02/03/2026

Babe Ruth was always happy to please a photographer or a crowd.
Here’s Babe on November 9, 1922 riding King Jess, a Holstein bull.
Ruth was visiting the estate of John M. Kelly in Harrington Park, New Jersey.
The Babe always had a great time wherever he went.
We believe that Babe will be with us in spirit at Nemo’s Bar on Saturday, FebRUTHary 7th at 7:14pm.
The good people from Red Hots Chili will grill up 714 hot dogs, and that’s no bull.

Nemo’s is located at 1384 Michigan Ave in Detroit.
Free admission and parking .

02/01/2026

Babe Ruth loved his hot dogs.
And nobody serves up better hot dogs than the good people at Red Hots Chili.
We’re honored that Richard Harlan, his daughter Christina Harlan Coden, and the entire Red Hots family will return to Nemo’s Bar on Saturday, FebRUTHary 7th at 7:14pm for the 39th annual Babe Ruth Birthday Party.
There’s no need to travel further east down Michigan Avenue for a tourist dog—the best coneys in Detroit will be at Nemo’s Bar.
Their coney sauce is a secret family recipe that dates back to 1921.
Naturally, we’ll have 714 hot dogs—one for each home run swatted by The Babe during his phenomenal career.
So come on down to Nemo’s on Saturday, say hello to the Red Hots gang, and enjoy the best coney dogs in the world.
The Babe would love this!

01/31/2026

People are always surprised to hear that Babe Ruth’s birthday is celebrated in Detroit.
They could understand if the occasion was commemorated in Baltimore or New York, but not Detroit.
So how did this unusual festive event get started in the Motor City?
Here’s how.

Celebrating The Bambino since 1988

01/29/2026

Babe Ruth always had a great time in Detroit—both on and off the field.
A Detroit Times reporter named John Manning remembered covering The Babe during a Yankees visit to Detroit in 1920.
On the night of August 5th, Ruth decided to go out and hit several of the speakeasies in Hamtramck.
He didn’t return to his hotel room at the Fort Shelby until 5am.
After a couple hours of sleep, Ruth was ready for an interview with the reporter.
Manning recalled the big slugger wearing his pajamas, and answering questions while downing a triple orange juice, a triple tomato juice laced with Worcestershire sauce, a large bowl of porridge, a double order of ham, eggs, and fried potatoes, a vast stack of buttered toast, and four or five cups of coffee.
That afternoon at Navin Field, Ruth slammed two home runs off Detroit pitcher Hooks Dauss to help propel the Yankees to an 11-7 victory over the Tigers.
Yes, The Babe lived large during his visits to Detroit.
So slide into Nemo’s Bar on Saturday, FebRUTHary 7th at 7:14pm, and have a Ruthian time.

Photoshop of Babe sliding with a beer and hot dog by Nick Yim.

01/27/2026

Thank you to Vintage Detroit Collection and Bill Dow for this cool blog about the upcoming Babe Bash at Nemo’s Bar in Corktown.
We hope you can join us on Saturday, FebRUTHary 7th at 7:14pm.
Nemo’s is located at 1384 Michigan Avenue in Detroit.
Free admission and parking.

Brent and his friends Stu Dressler and Kelly Bennett recently published a book of Ruth’s famous quotes called Out of the Mouth of Babe.

01/26/2026

Babe Ruth loved to party in Detroit.
The top photo shows The Babe celebrating in the basement of a house on Hubbell Street on the west side of Detroit around 1928.
As usual, Ruth is in the center of the action.
Detroit Tigers slugger Harry Heilmann can be seen on the far right, hiding his face from the camera.
The bottom photo was taken over two years ago by Babe Ruth Birthday Party founder and host Tom Derry.
Tom’s longtime friend Pat Moug is posing with his Babe face and a beer stein in front of the house at 13359 Hubbell Street.
The house was owned by Alfred Tegne and was built in 1927.
Special thanks to our good friend Frank Rashid and his city directory from the 1920s with helping to locate the exact address.
And thanks to Dana Politi-Rashid for finding additional information on the property.
Babe Ruth and Harry Heilmann had a great time partying in Detroit nearly a century ago.
98 years later, Babe Ruth grandson Tom Stevens and great-grandson Brent Stevens will raise a glass and celebrate with Harry Heilmann’s grandson Dan Heilmann at Nemo’s Bar on Saturday, FebRUTHary 7th at 7:14pm.
How cool is that?
We hope you can join us for this evening of Ruthian Revelry.

Nemo’s Bar is located at 1384 Michigan Avenue in Detroit.