Beginning on Monday, 78 lots of Babe Ruth memorabilia including game used bats, autographed balls, a contract, trading cards and much more from his life and career will hit the auction block. Goldin Auctions, as part of its partnership with the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, is conducting the sale, which runs through March 5. Five percent of each winning bid will be donated to the Foundation.
The auction features a Ruth bat, six Ruth autographed baseballs and 12 Yankees team baseballs from 1922-43 signed by Ruth, ten ticket stubs from memorable games in his career and several Ruth baseball cards.
Here’s a look at some of the items that are being offered:
Lot #1 – 1925-26 Ruth-Used Hillerich & Bradsby R2 Model Bat – Carrying a grade of PSA/DNA GU 9, the Hillerich & Bradsby R2 model bat measures 36″in length and weights a Ruthian 41oz. The C5-A center brand is of the type used on bats produced Records in Ruth’s Louisville Slugger archives describe this model as “His #1 Small”.
“Small” refers to the smaller knob that was that was preferred by Ruth during the 1925-1926 seasons.
The bat was obtained from Ruth by Ted Leaper, in whose family this bat remained until 2013. In the Roaring Twenties Ted Leaper was manager of the Paramount Theater, Paramount Pictures’ Manhattan flagship on Broadway.
Lot #2 – 1933 Babe Ruth NY Yankees Player Contract – The 1932 season was yet another legendary campaign for Ruth as it concluded with the near-mythical “Called Shot” home run in the 1932 
World Series after hitting 41 home runs during the season. The Yankees proposed the aging Ruth take a pay cut from $75,000 to $50,000 so Ruth reported to Spring Training with the contract unsigned with every intention of hammering out a deal.
Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert laid down an ultimatum: sign for $50,000 by March 29 or he would not be taken north with the team. Ruth gave in, signing for $52,000.
The Babe did go on to have a decent year in 1933, but it was the beginning of the end for him in pinstripes as he would play just one more season before being unceremoniously released.
The contract bears the original raised seal of the “American League Baseball Club of New York,” and reveals standard compacting folds.
It carries the black fountain pen signatures of three Hall of Famers: Ruth; owner Jacob Ruppert, and manager Joe McCarthy(“Jos. V. McCarthy”) signing as witness. The contract is protected inside a custom-made, embossed leather case. It includes a PSA/DNA letter of authenticity.
Lot #3 – Babe Ruth Autographed Official A.L. Baseball – comes with full LOA from PSA/DNA
Lot #4 – 1927 NY Yankees World Champions Team Signed Official A.L. (Ban Johnson) Baseball – Includes 21 signatures such as Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri and more.
Lot #45 – 1947 W602 Sports Exchange Babe Ruth, Hand Cut PSA Mint 9 – The finest PSA graded example of this card which was distribute through ads in trading card publications and release in three groups of six 6-card panels.
Lot #50 – 2013 Leaf Executive Collection Masterpiece Babe Ruth/Derek Jeter Dual Cut Signature 1/1 Chase Card (BGS)
Lot #71 – Babe Ruth Conlon Collection Original Artwork by Adam Port – The art is based on a 1924 batting shot made famous in Neal and Constance McCabe’s book Baseball’s Golden Age: The Photographs of Charles M. Conlon. The 28″ x 38″ portrait is signed by the artist and framed to measure 30″ x 40″.
Babe Ruth World Series Ticket Stubs – 10 Lots:
Lot #57 – 1915 World Series Game 4 Red Sox vs. Athletics Ticket Stub (Ruth’s First World Series)
Lot #58 – 1916 World Series Game 5 Red Sox vs. Robins (Title Clinching Ticket Stub)
Lot #59 – 1918 World Series Ticket Game 5 (Game 2 @ Fenway) (Curse of the Bambino)
Lot #60 – 1921 World Series Game 5 Yankees vs. Giants Ticket Stub (Ruth Bunt Hit, Winning Run)
Lot #61 – 1922 World Series Game 3 Giants vs. Yankees Ticket Stub (Ruth’s 5th World Series)
Lot #62 – 1923 World Series Game 4 Yankees vs. Giants Ticket Stub
Lot #63 – 1926 World Series Game 4 Yankees vs. Cardinals Ticket Stub (Ruth Hit 3 HR’s)
Lot #64 – 1927 World Series Game 3 Yankees vs. Pirates Ticket Stub (Ruth’s 9th World Series HR)
Lot #65 – 1928 World Series Game 1 Yankees vs. Cardinals Ticket Stub
Lot #66 – 1932 World Series Game 3 Yankees vs. Cubs Ticket Stub Ruth’s Called Shot)
“Goldin Auctions has brought some of the most valuable and rare Babe Ruth artifacts to auction, and through our partnership with the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation we continue to uncover great consignments,” said Ken Goldin, Founder of Goldin Auctions. “Just like our historic Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction we expect the bidding to be competitive among the loyal universe of Ruth collectors.”
The Babe Ruth Auction closes on March 5.
For a free catalog or to register for the auction, visit www.GoldinAuctions.com.
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