This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/11/2020
It seems unfathomable that there will ever be a more dominant athlete or greater persona in the world of sport than baseball's George Herman "Babe" Ruth. Ever since the advent of baseball in the mid 19th century and the subsequent introduction of basketball, football, hockey, and soccer, Americans proudly acknowledge that league sports are an essential part of the American heritage. Decade after decade, through economic hardship, world wars, and global pandemics, national sports have endured. We build shrines to honor those of exceptional ability, clamor for memorabilia and cherish items that our heroes have worn during their displays of greatness. And we just love our autographs! It only seems logical as it touches people in a personal way and makes the subject more than just a home run hitter or a jump-shot specialist; it makes our idols human, like the rest of us. Babe Ruth understood that, which he is why he is so beloved in American culture well over 70 years after his passing. Always willing to accommodate an admirer with an autograph, a pat on the back, or just a smile, Babe Ruth wasn't only special for being really good at baseball; he made his fans feel like they were special too. But with all of the various autographed Babe Ruth items in existence, there are surprisingly few examples of a Babe Ruth auto on a 1933 Goudey card. Granted, Ruth was 38-years old and in the twilight of his career when the Goudey series was released, but given his body of work on the field and nationwide popularity, you'd think more such examples like the featured item would exist. The thrill of seeing a live Babe Ruth signature still excites even the most advanced collector, and this 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth card, his "green portrait" issue, features one of the cleanest, boldest pennings of "The Sultan of Swat" that we've ever seen. So strong and vibrant, the signature would likely be dismissed as a factory printed facsimile to collectors than knew of post-war issues and weren't aware that the practice didn't exist in the Goudey collection. From the stem of the "B" in Babe to the tail of the lower-case "h" in Ruth, the vintage fountain pen ink flows dutifully and without interruption, earning the impressive though conservative (in our opinion) assessment of 9 MINT. The card is attractive on its own, a clean VG example with a bright green backdrop that contrasts well with the legendary penning, and the appearance of stray fountain pen ink on the reverse suggests that "The Babe" was attempting to get the flow of the ink just right before obliging a well-wisher or wild-eyed child encouraged to one day follow in his footsteps. We can never know the complete lineage that brought this card from Babe Ruth's hand well over a half-century ago to our auction, but as collectors and baseball fans, we can certainly appreciate the rare beauty that it possesses. One of, if not the absolute finest, examples of its kind and a true homage to the history of "The Great American Pastime."