When discussions arise about the greatest sports teams ever assembled, there’s always a hearty debate to be had about football, basketball, and hockey. But when the conversation turns to baseball, there’s only one team that epitomizes greatness, the 1927 New York Yankees! Yeah, they were called “Murderer’s Row” for good reason, because it was a matter of time before any one of them would send you to the showers, and usually sooner than later. If you can somehow get past Hall of Fame leadoff hitter Earl Combs and shortstop Mark Koenig, you had to contend with the combined 107 home runs and 339 RBI of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Don’t breathe easy just yet! You’ve still got Bob Meusel’s .337 batting average and 103 RBI coming at you, followed by Hall of Fame second baseman Tony Lazzeri, who posted a .309 average with 18 homers and 102 ribbies in the sixth spot. In fact, the Yankees were so popular that they became a year round attraction. While other teams packed it in for the winter, Ruth’s business manager Christy Walsh saw a lucrative opportunity to take his home run smashing duo on a coast-to-coast tour, where Ruth and Gehrig could astonish fans and display their herculean abilities in nationwide exhibitions. The tour consisted of 21 games in three weeks and covered nearly 8,000 miles over nine states, with Gehrig earning more money in those three weeks than he did all season with the Yankees. Proudly presented is perhaps the finest signed photograph in existence, as this unbelievable 5” x 8” original photograph depicts the legendary Yankee duo as well as the man who created the traveling side show. Standing outside the Hotel Martin in Sioux City, Iowa, a photographer captured the well dressed trio alongside Ruth friend and promoter John. J. Donahoe, the person responsible for bringing the exhibition to Iowa. In the left margin, a personalized black fountain pen inscription reads, “To John Donahoe the livest (sic) promoter on our Home Run Tour” and features the stunning and iconic signatures of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, both a “9” in strength, and Christy Walsh (“8”). A fountain pen notation on the right border reads, “Sioux City Oct 18 1927”, “Bustin’ Babes” vs “Larrupin Lou’s.” The photo is in VG/EX condition with some minor but expected edge wear. This is unquestionably one of the greatest representations of legendary pinstripers Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, captured just 10 days after the famed 1927 “Murderer’s Row” New York Yankees captured a World Series Championship. LOA from Steve Grad & Zach Rullo/PSA DNA and LOA from James Spence Authentication.
ADDENDUM: This lot has been expanded to include a DVD of a home movie created by the Donohue family depicting Ruth and Gehrig's visit to the Donohue home, which includes some excellent footage of the two sluggers mingling with the family. This footage appeared on two separate documentaries which aired on Sioux City's NBC channel 4 station which featured the Donohue family home. Also included is an intriguing birthday invitation created by the Walsh family, inviting the Donohue family to celebrate the 80th birthday of Christy Walsh's mother, Marie Christy Walsh at a Hollywood hotel on December 26th, 1943.