Babe Ruth Auction to Benefit Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/6/2016
The sweet spot signature of "Babe" Ruth headlines this remarkable team-signed ball. Ruth's scripting – accompanied by eight of his team-mates' penmanship examples – adorns the surface of the moderately used, red-and-blue-stitched OAL (Johnson) sphere. The Yankees' signatures include: Wally Schang, Wally Pipp, Frank Baker, Bob Meusel, Fred Hofmann, Carl Mays, Everett Scott and one other. Having dissected a once-proud Boston team, the New York Yankees – already having lured Babe Ruth from Beantown – secured the services of former BoSox stars Everett Scott and Joe Dugan in 1922. Annually out-drawing their fellow Polo Grounds tenants since Ruth's arrival in 1920, the pinstripers evoked the ire of New York Giants owner and field boss John McGraw, prompting their eviction from the Harlem venue after the 1922 campaign. (In their final days at the shared stadium, the Yanks did World Series battle against their cross-town rivals. Squandering leads in three of four losses, the Yankees were dispatched in five games, as Game 2 ended in a tie.) This is a very rare and amazing relic – one of the earliest team-signed balls to include Babe Ruth among the Yankees. LOA from PSA/DNA. Goldin Auctions will be donating 5% of the winning bid price of this lot and all lots in this auction to the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum.