Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2014
From his earliest days as a Red Sox, Babe Ruth was known for his love of music. Whether it be him tipsily banging on the in-famous mini-piano in his Sudbury, Massachusetts cottage or listening to the greatest dance bands in 1930's Manhattan, Babe Ruth never lost his joy of music and the musicians who created it. One of his long-time pals was famed songwriter Peter DeRose - "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree", "Buona Sera", "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer", "Somebody Loves You" - all these American classics are from his pen. The Babe was particularly fond of "Deep Purple", a tune Ruth made DeRose perform at every one of his birthday bashes until he passed away in 1948. Which brings us to this novelty song DeRose penned in 1947 titled simply "BABE". The song's namesake was suffering through the final throes of cancer, and it must have been hard for DeRose to sit down and write this musical tribute to his dying friend. The words are typed out on Babe Ruth's own letterhead and the document gives DeRose and his partner Charles Tobias permission to use his name in their song. After the typed stanzas Ruth signed the document with "George Herman Ruth" in strong black fountain pen. It's a particularly fine version of his full given name and grades a 10/10. The 7 1/4" x 10 1/2" document has two horizontal folds and light creases and the upper left corner has "Publisher's Copy" hand written in black ink. The reverse has some unrelated pencil notations, none of which distracts from the beauty and significance of this poignant tribute from a dear friend.