Nov 6, 2024 - Nov 23, 2024
No two names in the lore of our National Pastime evoke more reverence than Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Their upbringings, temperaments, and extracurriculars could not have been more different. Yet, all the same, a dozen glorious years as Yankee teammates (1923-34) turned them into larger-than-life figures of mythological proportions and made the pinstripes a symbol of success and royalty. The Bambino and Iron Horse’s stature in the realm of sports memorabilia is similarly unparalleled. A baseball holding each’s unmistakable signature is one of the most coveted collectibles in the hobby. Featured here is an exquisite example with striking aesthetics.
The creamy Official American League (Ernest Barnard) baseball with red-and-blue stitching dates to 1929-1931 based on the manufacturer stamping. However, the direct family provenance and details provided by the consignor document the date of signature to be 1932. As usual, Ruth owns the sweet spot while Gehrig commands the west panel. Both signatures are done in black fountain ink, with the Bambino in the 6-7/10 range and Larrupin’ Lou 5-6/10 in strength. The ball exhibits some scattered white spotting and light overall toning from age, but the blue Barnard stamp is still quite legible. Simply an outstanding representation of the two iconic teammates signed for a young 8-year-old fan at Fenway Park before a Yankees-Red Sox game in 1932, the same season that the Sultan of Swat belted his “Called Shot” homer run in the World Series. Includes full LOA from PSA/DNA and a detailed letter of provenance from that kid’s grandson.
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