Lelands is offering a 1932 Babe Ruth game bat in its newly launched Classic Auction, one it says could have been used to launch his “Called Shot” home run in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Cubs.
The bat was originally believed to have been a 1935 bat, perhaps the last of his career, gifted to former teammate Wally Berger. However, research disproved that belief. Lelands indicates the Ruth bat matches to an order he placed with Louisville Slugger on April 18, 1932. A photo of the “Called Shot” shows Ruth using a 1932 bat.
Carved into the barrel is an arrow pointing to the deepest, hardest hit ball mark. While Ruth’s bat from the famous homer has never been positively identified, 
Ruth was known for “notching” bats used to hit important home runs, so Lelands believes the arrow could be indicating a 1932 home run of particular significance. “Irrespective of its place in history, the bat is truly special and one of the finest Ruth specimens ever offered to the public,” the company states in its catalog description.
The bat measures 34.75 inches, weighs 37.2 ounces and comes with a 14-page report from PSA/DNA, which has graded it a perfect 10. The minimum bid was $100,000 and early bidding had pushed past $140,000 by Monday afternoon.
The auction also features the bat used in the “best bat flip in MLB history,” according to MLB Network–Tom Lawless’ bat he emphatically tossed after his home run in Game 4 of the 1987 World Series and a bat used by Mickey Mantle in the 1957 All-Star Game.
Another centerpiece of the auction is a collection of Pittsburgh Steelers game-worn jerseys, being sold in partnership with the Steelers and directly from the team’s archive. Jerseys up for auction include those worn by Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, Jack Ham, Jerome Bettis, Dermontti Dawson and Ernie Holmes, among others. Portions of the proceeds from the sale of the jerseys will be donated to the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research, which supports continued research and education regarding brain injuries and treatment of sports-related concussions.
Additional auction highlights include a pair of Michael Jordan signed, inscribed and game-worn North Carolina Tar Heels sneakers from the 1981-82 season, a 1964 Pete Rose signed, game-worn Cincinnati Reds jersey, a 1939 Hall of Fame opening weekend program signed by 10 of the original inductees, a high-grade 1911 Addie Joss benefit game panoramic photograph, a 1968 Reggie Jackson Oakland A’s game-worn rookie jersey, 2004 and 2007 Boston Red Sox World Series rings, Babe Ruth single-signed baseballs, a Derek Jeter game-used bat from his very first professional order, a 2017 Mike Trout game-worn home run jersey and a 2016 Trout home run signed, game-used bat, a 2016 Aaron Judge signed, game-used bat, a 2017 Jose Altuve game-worn jersey and a 2017 Giancarlo Stanton game-worn home run jersey.
Lelands.com will also be auctioning off the all-time finest 1976 Topps baseball set with 563 of the set’s 660 cards (85%) graded PSA 10, a high-grade near set of 1968 Topps 3-D cards, a newly graded, fresh-to-market 1933 Goudey baseball set; a 1971 World Series Brooks Robinson signed, game-worn Orioles uniform, a 1957 Eddie Matthews game-used World Series glove, a Grover Cleveland Alexander single-signed baseball, a 1921 Johnny Evers signed baseball, a 1919 Black Sox World Series program at Chicago, a 1973-75 Hank Aaron signed, game-used bat, a 1969-70 Roberto Clemente game-used bat, Roger Maris’ game-worn pants attributed to the 1961 World Series and a bat Mike Schmidt used to hit three home runs in 1986.
The auction also boasts the 1990 Super Bowl XXV New York Giants ring presented to Roosevelt “Rosey” Brown, the 2011 Super Bowl XLVI Giants ring awarded to player Chad Jones, the 1977 Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup championship ring presented to Guy Lafleur, a 1998-99 Patrick Roy Colorado Avalanche playoff game-worn jersey and Craig Patrick’s 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup trophy.
Some one-of-a-kind horse racing memorabilia is up for grabs as well including the finest collection of Kentucky Derby tickets, a 1937 Seabiscuit race-worn horseshoe silver ashtray gifted by C.S. Howard, a 1972 Secretariat maiden win nail and strands of hair from the legendary thoroughbred’s mane.
“From the 1932 Babe Ruth game-used bat and the bat used in MLB’s all-time best bat flip, to the Michael Jordan game-used Tar Heels sneakers and the collection of Steelers game-used jerseys, this auction has it all,” said Lelands.com founder and chairman Josh Evans. “We are excited to bring these terrific offerings to the collecting public.”
Bidding continues through March 23 at Lelands.com.
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