Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2014
Throughout his life, The Babe was up for anything - rodeo riding, high-diving, jai-lei, or a saxophone jam session - and just when you think you've seen and heard it all - this piece shows up: Babe Ruth's palm print from a character analysis! In 1934 Baseball Magazine had Atlanta-based Alice Denton Jennings run a thorough character analysis from an inked imprint of The Babe's right hand. Ruth inked up his beefy paw and made this stunning, one-of-a-kind print on a piece of Miss Jennings' letterhead. To add authenticity to whole matter, Ruth signed his name in bold black fountain pen below his palm print. Miss Jennings' page and a half analysis was printed in the July, 1934 edition of Baseball Magazine (a near-mint copy of which is included in this lot).
Now let's see if Miss Jennings' expert analysis sounds anything like the Ruth we all know. According to her report, the subject's "Spatulate shape of his hand and finger tips probably account for his restless energy". Interesting, but that could describe anyone. Let's continue: the widely spaced fingers of his hand shows that "while he is a splendid leader, he is no diplomat or politician, since he does not like to "beat around the bush", but prefers to go straight to the heart of any matter". That's starting to sound a bit like The Bambino now. Baseball history is never lacking in stories of Ruth's, shall we say, "Uncouthness" in many situations. Her next observation tells us a little more about the inner personality of the subject, that the whole hand shows "initiative and ambition, but the ambition is not selfish". Well that hits a bit close, doesn't it? Throughout his long career and up until his death The Babe was probably the most unselfish famous person who ever lived. Unlike many other superstars before and since, Ruth never forgot that the fans were a large part to his success and felt that it was his job to honor and respect each and every one of them. The character analysis goes on to state that an examination of the "luck lines" prove that the subject's fame and success came "through work and effort and not from luck". True, very true. Though Ruth was blessed with great reflexes and eyesight, he also worked very hard to counteract the effects of his overindulgent lifestyle. During the early 1920's he became the first ball player to employ what we now call a personal trainer to whip him into shape during the winter months. Miss Jennings concludes that "an outstanding characteristic of this hand is its capacity for friendship" and "his life will always be influenced by warm and substantial friendships from every walk of life". Now that really sounds like Ruth - no other sports figure in the history of the world was more loved than The Babe, and now you have the proof in black and white.
This 8 1/2" x 11" autographed palm print is perhaps the most original piece of Ruth memorabilia the hobby has ever seen. The off-white letterhead shows its age with minor creases and rounded corners and displays beautifully. The inked print is as strong and detailed as the day in 1934 it was done. The black fountain pen autograph is just as bold with a bit of smudging near the "a", "R" and "u", though it distracts not a bit from this unique piece. While The Babe's beautiful signature found on this sheet is a prized collectible on its own, it’s the strong, finely detailed print of his hand that is what's most fascinating about this. Looking at the ridges, creases and lines of his hand, you realize that this is actually the hand of the man who hit 60 home runs in a single season, walloped more career home runs than anyone who'd come before him, the man who grew from an unloved kid in an orphanage into the most beloved baseball player in history. This here is the hand of George Herman "Babe" Ruth! Letter of Authenticity from JSA. Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA grading the autograph a Mint 9.
This lot has a Reserve Price that has not been met.