The 1924 World Series had a different feel to it.
Walter Johnson had pitched the Senators into the World Series, ending the Yankees’ three-year reign as American League champions. That didn’t mean Babe Ruth would not attend the games.
Ruth the ballplayer became Babe Ruth, correspondent. Now, a scorecard he compiled 100 years ago—filled out in his hand and complete with notations—is on the market.
Heritage Auctions is offering the 13×10 scorecard in its Fall Sports Auction where it’s expected to bring a five-figure price.
The item dates to Game 2 of the series at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC.
Prior to the series, Ruth wrote a column with his World Series predictions and noted he’d be reporting on it for a newspaper syndicate (he picked the Giants, who lost to Johnson’s club in a close, seven-game series). It’s likely that the scorecard was part of his work as a scribe—or at least a guy who relayed his thoughts to a ghostwriter.
In addition to Ruth tracking the Senators 4-3 win that day, Ruth added some handwritten editorial notes about the game. He jotted lines about the Giants missing a chance to score with the bases loaded in the first and a key three-run homer by Goose Goslin.
Best of all, he signed the scorecard in pencil at the top. He also added a date but might have had a momentary slip of mind, writing “Nov 5” instead of the correct date of October 5.
After the World Series, Ruth took a train to the west coast for a series of barnstorming games.
The scorecard comes with a full letters of authenticity from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication. Heritage notes some “handling wear and age toning but no faults of concern” regarding the condition.
Fittingly, the auction is scheduled to close on October 5—100 years to the day after the game.
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