This MacGregor Goldsmith Official 97 League ball brings together the signatures of three giants of the game: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Tris Speaker. Each man made their mark in a different aspect of the game: Cobb has gone down as the greatest hitter in baseball history, Ruth made his mark as the game’s greatest slugger, and Speaker the greatest defensive outfielder of all-time. Cobb and Ruth were voted into the yet to be built Hall of Fame in 1936, the first year of voting, and Speaker was enshrined a year later. At some unknown moment in time, all three giants of the game were in the same place and passed this ball around, each adding their unmistakable signature. Ruth, of course, signed on the sweet spot, Cobb inking the panel above and Speaker the panel below. The ball has been coated with shellack to preserve the signatures. The ball has taken on an amber tone with age, giving this unique ball an almost glowing look to it. As far as sheer talent, you can’t do better than this trio. The ball comes with an LOA from PSA/DNA (S11089) for the signatures.

     Also included in this lot is an 8x 10 black and white photograph from circa 1940 featuring Ruth, Speaker and Cobb. Ruth is seated on the right of the photograph in a dark suit with a white collared shirt looking off to the left of the camera. Ruth is holding a cigar in his left hand and a pen and pad in his right. Also seated is Ty Cobb, who is dressed in a light-colored suit smiling directly into the camera while holding a cigar in his left and balancing his glasses and a pen in his right hand. Leaning in between Ruth and Cobb is the smiling Speaker, who has his left arm around Ruth and looking slightly off camera. The back of the photograph has a “HERBERT REBMAN Photographer” stamp. The photograph has slight edge wear on the left and some scratches and abrasions, but is otherwise good condition.

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