The jersey worn by Babe Ruth during his iconic “called shot” in the 1932 World Series is expected to sell for up to $30 million at auction, marking a historic moment in sports memorabilia.
Bollywood Fever: Nearly a century after Babe Ruth’s legendary “called shot” during the 1932 World Series, the jersey worn by the New York Yankees icon as he hit the historic home run could set a new record at auction.
Heritage Auctions is offering the jersey in a highly anticipated sale on Saturday night in Dallas, with estimates suggesting it could fetch as much as $30 million.
The “called shot” occurred on October 1, 1932, during Game 3 of the World Series between the Yankees and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
In the fifth inning, Ruth made a now-famous pointing gesture while at bat, before launching a home run to center field off Cubs pitcher Charlie Root.
The Yankees went on to win the game 7-5 and swept the series the following day.
Michael Gibbons, director emeritus and historian at the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore, described the moment as “the most dramatic moment in World Series history, and it may be the most dramatic moment ever in all of baseball.”
This was Ruth’s final World Series appearance, and the “called shot” home run was his last in the Fall Classic. Mike Provenzale, production manager for Heritage’s sports department, emphasized the significance of the jersey, stating, “When you can tie an item like that to an important figure and their most important moment, that’s what collectors are really looking for.”
The jersey has a storied history of its own. Ruth reportedly gave it to a golfing buddy in Florida around 1940, and it remained in that family for decades.
In the early 1990s, the jersey was sold to a collector, who then sold it at auction in 2005 for $940,000. This year, the jersey has been consigned to Heritage Auctions once again.
In 2019, another of Ruth’s road jerseys, dating back to 1928-30, sold for $5.64 million at an auction held at Yankee Stadium.
That jersey was part of a collection of items put up for sale by Ruth’s family.
The “called shot” is one of the most extraordinary moments in baseball history, solidifying Ruth’s status as a “standard-bearer for all of Major League Baseball,” according to Gibbons.
Ruth’s ability to popularize the home run and his larger-than-life presence on and off the field made him a national hero during his time.
“He was always uplifting, he was something very positive for this country to root for,” Gibbons added. “Then he caps it all off by calling his shot.”
As the auction approaches, the anticipation builds among collectors and baseball fans alike, with the potential sale of Ruth’s jersey poised to make history in the world of sports memorabilia.
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