Babe Ruth Single-Signed Baseball - PSA/DNA and Beckett

Sold For:

$11,100

Year:

1930

Auction:

2020 Spring

Lot #:

1530

Category:

Autographed Baseballs/Flats/Photos

Official American League baseball signed by Babe Ruth on a side panel. Ruth's signature has been scripted in black fountain pen and grades "7/8"overall. According to our consignor, her father acquired this ball during the early 1930s while attending a game between the Yankees and Indians in Cleveland. Given the game-used condition of the ball, it almost certainly represents a foul ball from the game that Ruth signed afterwards. While the stampings clearly identify it as an Official American League ball, and the red-and-blue stitching dates it prior to 1934, both the patent date on the front and the league president's facsimile signature on the side panel are obscured to the point that we cannot date it more precisely. (It appears to be Harridge's name on the side panel, which would date it to the 1932-1933 manufacturing period.) This ball is new to the hobby and has been in our consignor's family since the time her father acquired it. During the following decades it resided almost exclusively in a dresser drawer, which accounts for the fact that the signature displays little-to-no fading. The ball displays heavy wear consistent with game use, including a number of light abrasions. In Good to Very Good condition overall, but highlighted by a fairly bold signature. Full LOAs from PSA/DNA and from Steve Grad and Brian Sobrero/Beckett Authentication Services. Reserve $2,000. Estimate (open).