This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2018
We've been fortunate to offer some of the finest single-signed Babe Ruth baseballs that the hobby has ever seen and the featured orb ranks up there as one of the best. The greatest sports hero of his day and arguably the brightest celebrity of the 20th century, "The Sultan of Swat" remained as approachable to the common man throughout his retired life as he was when he dominated the sport of baseball for 22 major league seasons. Even from his cancer diagnosis in 1946 and the two years that followed until his passing, Ruth was always willing to oblige a faithful fan or business associate by autographing a ball, personalizing a photo or having a picture taken. However, there are very few surviving Babe Ruth signed baseballs that possess the quality of a bold clean signature along with the absence of the unsightly discoloration that the leather tends to acquire with age. The featured ball has a lineage that goes back to a prominent sports executive whose high-profile status put him in the company of many public figures, notables such as Jackie Robinson, John F. Kennedy, Walter Winchell, Connie Mack and the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. But it was his friendship with "The Sultan of Swat" that was at play here, and this ball is just one of many amazing pieces that was passed down through the family. Signed on a Reach Special League baseball, the blue fountain pen signature takes up the entirety of the sweet spot, perfectly delivered in clean, bold strokes that can rival just about any in existence. The actual ball is impressive as well, slightly off-white with a Reach stamp that is fresh and vivid. Clearly, this ball has been well cared for by the family for what has been nearly a century. Also included is the original box in which the ball was housed. If you're in the market for a Ruth signed ball, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more pristine example than the one before you. Full LOA from JSA. and SGC.