This summer, Heritage Auctions is set to showcase one of baseball’s most iconic artifacts – the jersey Babe Ruth purportedly wore during his legendary “called shot” in the 1932 World Series. Valued at an estimated $30 million, this gray road flannel could potentially set a new record as the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold.
The origins of this jersey date back to a game nearly 92 years ago at Wrigley Field, where Ruth famously pointed towards the outfield before hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs. This moment has since become deeply embedded in baseball lore, sparking ongoing mystery and debate. The authenticity of Ruth wearing this particular jersey during that historic game has been reinforced by photo matching from two separate companies, adding to its allure and potential worth.
Previously auctioned by Grey Flannel Auctions in 2005 for $944,000, the jersey was initially consigned by the daughter of one of Ruth’s golfing buddies. To preserve its original condition while repairing a tear, the jersey underwent conservation work at the Textile Conservation Workshop. Its design perfectly aligns with the style worn by the Yankees in 1932, further solidifying its historical importance.
Chris Ivy, the Director of Sports Auctions at Heritage, has emphasized the unparalleled significance of the jersey within the realm of sports memorabilia. Ivy remarked, “Ruth’s World Series jersey is the most significant piece of American sports memorabilia to be offered at auction in decades. It will hold the record as the most expensive sports collectible ever to cross the auction block.”
As of now, the record for the most expensive sports collectible is held by a Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps card, which fetched $12.6 million in 2022, also through Heritage Auctions. The highest price ever paid for a Ruth jersey stands at $5.6 million for a circa 1928-1930 model, sold by Hunt Auctions at Yankee Stadium in 2019.
The provenance and unique characteristics of Ruth’s “called shot” jersey, including button placement and specific stains, have been meticulously scrutinized. These minute details have been crucial for authenticators like MeiGray, who treat each game-worn jersey as unique as a fingerprint. This scrupulous analysis ensures that potential buyers have concrete visual evidence to support the jersey’s claim to fame.
Ruth’s legendary home run continues to resonate in baseball history, not only for its theatricality but also for the enduring myth it engendered. Despite conflicting accounts of the event, Ruth’s unmatched audacity and prowess on that fateful day only served to amplify his legend. The jersey will be showcased at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland later this summer, ahead of the auction scheduled for August 23-25.
This auction not only commemorates a pivotal moment in sports history but also highlights the burgeoning market for high-value sports memorabilia, drawing in collectors and enthusiasts eager to acquire a piece of baseball folklore.
