Offered is a Babe Ruth signature on a typed thank you letter on Samuel Goldwyn Inc. (motion pictures producer) letter head, mounted in a display commemorating the Hall of Fame New York Yankees star slugger’s performance in the 1942 film “Pride of the Yankees” about the life of his teammate, Lou Gehrig. Ruth has signed his name in black pen on the typewritten letter, dated April 23, 1942, responding to a fan during the filming of the movie in Los Angeles. Ruth discusses a recent illness and his acting duties in the film, which starred Gary Cooper as Gehrig. The 8½ x 11 white paper sheet is on Goldwyn letterhead, and is mounted at the left side of the display in a 20 x 25-inch brown cardboard matte. Below the letter is a 2½ x 8-inch gold metal plaque with black engraving describing the letter and the film. To the right is a black and white publicity photograph of Ruth shaking hands with Gary Cooper (in a New York Yankees uniform) on a baseball field with Yankees players in the background. (Scenes in the film purporting to depict Yankee Stadium, Comiskey Park, and other ballparks were all filmed at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, home of the Los Angeles Angels of the old Pacific Coast League, and a popular venue for baseball movies of the era, as well as the Home Run Derby television series of the late 1950s.) Below the photo is a 4 x 9-inch white envelope, postmarked April 24, 1942 from Los Angeles, with typewritten address to the letter’s recipient, Frank Murphy of Bristol, Pennsylvania. The signed letter, plaque, photo and envelope are displayed in a 22 x 28¼-inch brown and black wood and glass frame. The Ruth signature comes with a LOA from Beckett Authentication, who have graded his signature a GEM MINT 10.

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