This summer, the sports memorabilia world is abuzz with anticipation as one of baseball’s most iconic artifacts prepares to make its way to the auction block at Heritage Auctions. Speaking of none other than the jersey Babe Ruth reportedly donned during his legendary “called shot” in the 1932 World Series, this precious piece of history is estimated to be worth a staggering $30 million. If sold for this amount, it would go down in history as the most expensive sports memorabilia ever to change hands.
The genesis of this jersey dates back almost a century, to a pivotal game at Wrigley Field where Ruth purportedly pointed to the center field bleachers before smashing a home run against the Chicago Cubs. This legendary moment has woven its way into baseball lore, captivating fans worldwide and sparking endless debate and speculation. Thanks to meticulous photo matching by two reputable companies, the jersey’s authenticity as the one worn by Ruth during this historic game has been bolstered, adding to its allure and potential value.
Once sold in 2005 for a notable $944,000 by Grey Flannel Auctions, the jersey initially came into the public eye through the daughter of one of Ruth’s golfing companions. In the years that followed, it underwent careful restoration work by the Textile Conservation Workshop, ensuring that a tear was repaired while preserving its original essence. The jersey perfectly mirrors the style worn by the Yankees in 1932, offering further validation of its significant place in baseball history.
Chris Ivy, the Director of Sports Auctions at Heritage, underlined the unparalleled importance of Ruth’s World Series jersey in the realm of sports memorabilia. Describing it as “the most significant piece of American sports memorabilia to be offered at auction in decades,” Ivy predicted that this jersey would shatter records, setting a new benchmark as the most expensive sports collectible ever to be auctioned off.
While the current record for the priciest sports collectible is held by a Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps card, which fetched an impressive $12.6 million at Heritage Auctions in 2022, Ruth’s jerseys have also seen substantial bids. The highest amount paid for a Ruth jersey to date stands at $5.6 million for a circa 1928-1930 model, sold at Yankee Stadium by Hunt Auctions in 2019.
Every detail of Ruth’s famed “called shot” jersey has been scrutinized with the utmost care, from the positioning of buttons to specific stains, with experts like MeiGray leaving no stone unturned. These minute features are essential for authenticators, who view each game-worn jersey as being as distinct as a fingerprint. This meticulous approach ensures that bidders are presented with concrete visual evidence to support the jersey’s claim to fame.
Ruth’s historic home run continues to stand as a seminal moment in baseball lore, not only for its sheer drama but also for the enduring legend it spawned. Despite conflicting narratives surrounding the event, Ruth’s audacity and stellar performance on that fateful day only added to his mystique. Before the auction on August 23-25, the jersey will be exhibited at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland this summer.
The upcoming auction not only commemorates a pivotal moment in sports history but also serves as a testament to the burgeoning market for high-value sports memorabilia, drawing in collectors and enthusiasts eager to own a tangible piece of baseball’s storied past.
