Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2014
After the huge success of 1941’s “The Pride of the Yankees”, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood produced a major motion picture about the greatest ball player of them all, namely Babe Ruth. The Bambino was no stranger to Tinsel town – he’d appeared in films as early as the 1920’s and counted many movie stars and producers as close friends. So, with the Babe starting to show the effect of the cancer that would eventually take his life; Allied Artists Studio began working on a picture celebrating Ruth’s life. The announcement sent excitement throughout the sports world and public in general. The Babe was the most beloved man in the country and who wouldn’t flock to the theater to see his life unfold on the silver screen? This incredible archive is undisputedly THE GREATEST BABE RUTH STORY ARCHIVE EVER ASSEMBLED. The sheer quality and quantity of the items is staggering.
Let’s start off with where it all began: the original Monogram Pictures 10 page contract. The bound, typewritten onion skin pages lay out the entire project, including future royalties, and giving him freedom to share his input into the film for allowing his life story to be filmed. The content of the contract is remarkable. The July 8, 1947 contract is signed by both Babe Ruth and his wife Claire; Ruth using his full name “George Herman Ruth.” The contract is witnessed and notarized further attesting to its authenticity. Since the signatures are located towards the end of the document, the back fountain pen signatures have been remarkably preserved and look as if the Babe and his wife signed it last night. The document is staple bound in a light blue legal binding which shows wear and age but is still intact. The onion skin pages have darkened somewhat with age but are still legible and clean. The document has been folded in three places from when it was mailed and a few pencil and pen notations can be seen throughout. As mentioned above, the page signed by the Babe and Claire is perfectly preserved.
Attached to the end of the contract is a two-page copy of an agreement between Babe Ruth and the Ford Motor Company, which required the approval of Monogram Pictures Corporation. In this unsigned, but none-the-less fascinating contract Ruth was contracted to appear as a “consultant and advisor” to the American Legion Junior Baseball Program. Ford compensated Ruth and his wife with a new Lincoln and $500 per appearance. Sadly, the contract makes mention of his fragile health at the time by beginning a section “if your health permits…” It was this sponsorship deal with Ford which necessitated Ruth traveling to Iowa in June 1948, an occasion during which Ruth signed several dozen baseballs at the local Ford dealership, one of which is the outstanding PSA/DNA MN/MT 8.5 single signed baseball in this Babe Ruth Centennial auction.
The next incredible item is the large scrapbook given to the movie star William Bendix, by the film’s producers Joseph Kaufman and Roy Del Ruth. Bendix, of course was the actor who portrayed Ruth’s character in the film, The Babe Ruth Story. The hand-drawn front page notes that the scrapbook was given to Bendix on the day they filmed what was to become one of the most famous moments of the Bambino’s career, Ruth’s “Called Shot”. There are 30 original photographs, mostly 8x10’s of the scene being shot along with pictures of the “Yankees” actors on set and many original pages of newspaper articles about the film. It’s not only a one-of-a-kind piece but also a unique look behind the scenes of 1940’s Hollywood. (This piece originated from Bendix’s grandmother, Ms Terry Steele.) As does the next remarkable piece in this lot – William Bendix own copy of the classic book “The Babe Ruth Story” personalized, signed and dated by the Babe. The first edition shows much use with the dustcover separated at the spine and some paper loss – Bendix must have poured over this baseball classic studying every page as he tried to emulate the Babe on screen. While the book shows wear, the title page has been perfectly protected. Ruth’s signature and personalization “To my pal Bill, I know You Did A Great Job From Babe Ruth 1948” is in blue fountain pen and is a blazing bold 10/10. While Bendix and the film’s content were roundly criticized, Ruth, who was present during large parts of the filming, apparently gave the beleaguered actor his approval. A signed copy of the most famous autobiography in sports history would be the cornerstone to any Ruth collection – to FIND THE ONE personalized to the man who portrayed him in his life story is extraordinary!
To top off this archive is a complete theater advertising set of 8 original lobby cards and one quarter-sheet insert poster. The lobby cards, picturing key moments in the film, show varying amounts of wear and average VG-EX condition. Most have pin or staple holes in the corner from where they were originally posted and all have some edge wear and creases. That said, this is a rarely encountered complete set and displays quite attractively. The quarter-sheet or insert poster measures 14”x36” and shows the creases expected from it being folded and being mailed to theaters.
Overall its condition is VG with several creases and dings visible. From the original contract that started it all, to the studio presentation book given to the film’s star and his own personalized copy of the Babe’s book and the advertising that accompanied the picture around the country; this is the most comprehensive Babe Ruth Story archive ever assembled. Comes with full LOAs from James Spence Auhentication for both the contract and the signed book, with the contract also given a grade of 8 by PSA/DNA.