Babe Ruth Jersey Fetches Historic Price at Auction
Babe Ruth's Iconic Jersey Auctioned for Record Sum
The famed 'Called Shot' jersey worn by US baseball legend Babe Ruth was auctioned off for a record amount of 24.12 million dollars (approximately 21.5 million euros). As reported by Heritage Auctions, this jersey is now the most valuable sports collectible in the world. After more than six hours of fierce bidding in Dallas, an anonymous buyer won the jersey on Sunday.
The History Behind the Collectible
This particular jersey was donned by Babe Ruth during Game 3 of the World Series between his New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs on October 1, 1932. In the fifth inning of a tense game, Ruth famously pointed toward the outfield stands with his bat before hitting a home run in that direction, a moment that came to be known as 'The Called Shot'. Ruth himself claimed that he had predicted the hit. This event marked Ruth's final World Series appearance and the 'Called Shot' was his last home run in Major League Baseball's premier competition.
The Yankees triumphed 7-5 in that game and claimed the World Series title two days later with a 13-6 win. Over his career, Ruth won seven World Series titles and is regarded as one of the most significant baseball players in American history. He was one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
Interestingly, a Babe Ruth jersey was previously sold at an auction in New York in 2019 for 5.6 million dollars (around 5 million euros). Additionally, a bat belonging to him fetched 1.7 million dollars two years ago. According to the auction house, Ruth gave this jersey to a golfing buddy in Florida around 1940, and it remained in that family for decades until sold by his daughter to a collector in the early 1990s. It was auctioned again in 2005 for 940,000 dollars, remaining in a private collection until this year's auction.
Chris Ivy, head of sports auctions at Heritage, declared before the sale, 'This is essentially the Mona Lisa. It represents a mythical moment that touches not only baseball history but also American history and pop culture.'
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.