Outstanding 1927 Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig Signed Ball

Sold For:

$45,000

Year:

1927

Auction:

2016 Fall

Lot #:

13

Category:

Featured

Presented here is one of the finest Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig signed balls imaginable, especially when one evaluates it on the following criteria: the strength of the signatures; the location of the signatures with respect to each other; the overall condition of the ball; and the year it was signed. The official American League (Johnson) ball has been signed by each player in black fountain pen, with Ruth's signature located on the sweet spot, and Gehrig's directly below on the south panel. Ruth's signature, which is bracketed by parentheses, displays a small amount of bleeding at the end of the "h" in "Ruth"; otherwise it grades "8/9." Gehrig's signature grades "7/8." Ideally, Gehrig's signature sits close enough to the sweet spot that when properly displayed, both signatures can easily be viewed together (rarely the case with Ruth/Gehrig balls). The cream-colored ball displays only a few light, inconspicuous, surface marks, and all of the stampings remain exceptionally bold and bright. Technically in Excellent to Mint condition, but it presents as Near Mint. According to the Official American League Base Ball Guide by Brandon Grunbaum, this ball dates exactly to the 1927 manufacturing period. 1927, of course, remains one of the most significant seasons in baseball history, precisely because of the exploits of Ruth and Gehrig. Not only did the pair wage one of the most memorable home-run duels in history, which culminated in Ruth setting his long-standing single-season record of 60 (Gehrig finished with 47), but they also formed the heart of the fabled "Murderers' Row" lineup on what is widely regarded as the greatest team in baseball history. A Ruth/Gehrig ball has always been the most desirable dual-signed ball in the hobby and one would be hard pressed to find a ball that can compare to this magnificent high-grade example. Extraordinary on all levels. Full LOA from James Spence/JSA. Reserve $5,000. Estimate (open).