This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/4/2020
Although "The Bambino" was 37-years old in 1932, at the tail end of his career, and no longer the juggernaut that hit more home runs than every other American League team in 1927, his 41 homers and .341 batting average were still among the league-leaders. Even at this advanced stage of his career, American League hitters were avoiding him as much as possible with Ruth once again leading the league in walks, as he had done eleven times over fourteen seasons from 1920-1933. And of course, the Yankees were still rolling along to World Series championships, this time by sweeping the Chicago Cubs and Ruth adding to his legacy by reportedly "calling his shot" in the fifth inning of Game 3. So it only made good business sense that when the Goudey Gum Company released its 240-card collection in 1933, in addition to adding some of the greatest stars twice in the series, they would include "The Babe" an unprecedented four times. With a quartet of Babe Ruth cards present, it not only makes building a high-grade complete set an especially difficult challenge but also forces hobbyists looking to add just one to their collection to make a choice as to which one is best for them. While the red and yellow portraits are the toughest to corral in a grade of PSA 8, the full-body Ruth and finally the green portrait, offered here, are not far behind. One of the reasons that this card is often more popular is the pose, which is different than the "bat on shoulder" depiction exhibited on the red and yellow portrait cards. Indeed, what first strikes the engaged onlooker when inspecting the featured PSA 8 graded example is precisely this display of superior registration. With only minimal print imperfections inhabiting the green backdrop, Babe's image projects off the card surface, a result assisted by the deep blue-ink outlines of his figure as well as the undeniably vibrant flesh-colored hues of Ruth's face and hands. Combine these features with sturdy NM/MT corners and edges, add a bright back surface and admirable centering on both sides, and we arrive at one of the best of only 32 specimens to achieve a PSA 8 grade. If you're demanding a top-quality 1933 Goudey Ruth card that not only meets up to the demanding specifications of the grade but offers a radiance that stands out in a crowd, you've found it here!