A Louisvillian has written the latest book about the early life of Babe Ruth. Harry Rothgerber is a lawyer in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in Louisville. In addition, he is a baseball historian and a member of SABR, the Society of American Baseball Researchers.

His book, Young Babe Ruth, is based on the memoirs of a Xaverian Brother who worked at the Baltimore school where Ruth grew up. This man, Brother Gilbert, had a profound effect on Ruth’s life and baseball career.

Rothgerber found the Brother’s long-forgotten original manuscript in 1995 and began editing it for publication. The book came out in 1999 and Rothgerber autographed copies of it at the Louisville Slugger Museum in November. Young Babe Ruth is available in the Museum’s gift shop, A League of Your Own.