Winter Auction 2015 closing February 7
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/8/2015
By 1924 Babe Ruth was a star from coast to coast. While Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner and Joe Jackson might have been known by most fans, who but Babe Ruth would have been invited to headline a special movie screening in Hollywood? The Babe was already familiar with the big screen - he'd starred in a short picture entitled "Heading Home" in 1920 - and would appear in many more. When Sid Grauman, later known for his famous "Chinese Theatre", needed a star attraction, he turned not to the many silent movie stars in Hollywood, but to the greatest baseball player in the country. On November 10th, 1924 The Babe attended a screening at the Million Dollar Theatre then signed some baseballs that he proceeded to hit into an audience of adoring fans. This two-color stitched Spalding Official National League baseball shows some scuffing and wear - remember The Babe signed these balls and then belted them from the roof of the Million Dollar Theatre! As this is a 1924 ball, Ruth has signed his name with Babe in quotations, a formality he soon dropped. He has signed in black ink and a light inscription in his hand "To Bill Henry" is present on an adjacent panel. The occasion has been marked on the ball with “BABE RUTH’S MILLION DOLLAR THEATRE PARTY LOS ANGELES – NOV 10- 1924.” printed in black ink. If you listen close, you can almost hear The Babe's deep belly laugh as he belted one of these balls into the crowd of screaming fans. A great early single signed ball from the beginning of Ruth's superstardom. Letter of Authentication B22059 from PSA/DNA.