Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2014
This lot offers a unique look into the financial workings of a World Series Champion. Background on the 1927 Yankees of Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri, Hoyt and Company is not needed - every baseball fan knows of the famed "Murderer's Row" and their complete sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. This unique group lets one see the financial aftermath of being the game's best ball club. There are four checks drawn on the "American League Base Ball Club". The first is a $10,000 September 29, 1927 check made out to "LESLIE O'CONNOR, SEC'Y & TREAS." The back of the check bears the typewritten notion "Guarantee deposit for World Series 10,000 To be returned to the NEW YORK CLUB after the series is finished."Leslie O'Connor has signed the back as well noting "for deposit only". O'Connor was Major League Baseball's secretary-treasurer and Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis' right-hand man and the Yankees check was most likely a guarantee that the team would drive in Pittsburgh for the Series. The second check is made out to "AMERICAN LEAGUE BASE BALL CLUB-Contingent A/c" on October 1, 1927 for the amount of $5,000. This was four days before the start of the Series and we can speculate that it was used for spreading a bit of cheer for the pennant winners and favored associates. The last two checks are dated October 13, 1927 and are made out to the Commodore Hotel and The Roosevelt Hotel. The Commodore was the World Series Press Headquarters and the back notes that the $2,478.51 went to cover the scribes restaurant tab on October 7, 8 and 10. The Roosevelt Hotel was where the Yankees contingent stayed in Pittsburgh and the back carries the notation "WORLD SERIES Hotel Expense 10/3-4-5-6 at Pittsburgh. Each check measures 9" x 3-3/8" and are signed by owner and Hall of Famer Jacob Ruppurt in bold black fountain pen and countersigned on the left edge by General Manager and Hall of Famer "E. G. Barrow". All 8 signatures are a definitive 10/10 and the only flaw is on the October 1 check there is a cancellation hole that just nicks the top of the "J" in Jacob. All for have been authenticated and encapsulated by PSA/DNA.
The next part of this lot is a two page statement documenting the "ATTENDANCE AND RECEIPTS" for Games 3 and 4 of the 1927 Series. Each page lists the attendance broken down by area, price of each seat, how many of each sold and the total receipts. The typewritten pages are on bonded paper, display their age with the expected tinting to the pages and horizontal folds. The original "AMERICAN LEAGUE BASE BALL CLUB OF NEW YORK" envelope that these two statements were stored in accompanies this lot and bears the black fountain pen note describing the contents. Like the letters the envelope shows its age with the expected bent edges and age tinting.
The last item is a reply to Ed Barrow's invitation the American League President E.S. Barnard to attend Opening Day, 1928 in Yankee Stadium and assist in the raising of the "American League Pennant and World Championship flag". The typewritten letter is on American League letterhead and is signed by Barnard in strong black fountain pen (10/10).