Opening Day Auction Closing May 9th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/10/2015
In 1928 Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were the two most famous baseball players in the country. Ruth hit an incredible 54 home runs while Gehrig contributed 27 and hit .374 as the Yankees swept the Pirates in the World Series for the second year in a row. The public's thirst for Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig was so strong that the duo went on a cross-country tour to bring their bats to places the Yankees never visited. Instead of traveling with a full baseball team, when Babe and Lou pulled into each town the pair split up into two teams: the Bustin' Babe's and the Larrapin' Lou's. The two sluggers would then pick a team of lucky locals to fill out their roster and play an exhibition game. The tour was a resounding success and on October 21, 1928 Babe and Lou appeared at Star Park in Syracuse. No doubt egged on by the overflow crowd, Ruth broke all local eating records by downing 18 hot dogs before the game began! The Babe pitched and played first base while going 1 for 4, but Lou's team walloped the Bustin' Babes 9 to 2. After the game the Babe led a crowd of locals to the Haberle Brewery where he carried on late into the Syracuse night.
This ball was obtained by a local fan who then had baseball's most powerful pair sign it. The ball is heavily darkened due to the shellac applied but the signatures of Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth are still quite visible. In addition to the priceless signatures, the ball has been inscribed "Oct 21 Star Park" by The Babe himself! The heavy vintage coat of shellac was cause darkening and condition issues where it coating has chipped off with age. However the unique circumstances of a barnstorming tour combined with the key 1928 season and the Babe's inscription makes this a very desirable baseball. Letter of Authenticity from JSA.