Late Summer Auction SESSION 2 CLOSING SEPT 21 10PM EASTERN FOR INITIAL BIDS
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/21/2020
In the history of baseball there has never been a power due to match the output and sheer popularity as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. From 1925 through 1934, the two sluggers appeared back-to-back in the Yankees number 3 and 4 spots, striking fear into every pitcher who had to face them. Though the 1927 Yankees team is often regarded as the best club to ever take the field, the Ruth-Gehrig combo really became dominant in the years following 1927. In 1930 the Babe hit .359 and led the American League in home runs with 49 as well as on-base percentage, walks, slugging and total bases. Gehrig batted .379 and belted 41 homers as well as led the league in RBI, total bases and plate appearances. One would be hard pressed to find two teammates who so completely dominated the offensive leadership categories like Ruth and Gehrig did in 1930.
This Official E.S. Barnard American League ball has been signed by the two Yankees stars in black fountain pen. This ball is truly unique in that both Ruth and Gehrig’s signatures appear on the sweet spot. Normally, Ruth would take his customary spot on the ball’s sweet spot while Gehrig would sign on an adjacent side panels. Ruth’s distinctive signature is on the left side of the sweet spot, while Gehrig’s is on the right-center portion of the sweet spot. Both have signed their respective names in black pen. There is an inscription on this ball above their signatures that appears to have been penned by Ruth and it reads “Best Wishes Our Pal Mayor Rolph of San Francisco” and “New York July 1929”. Mayor Rolph was James Rolph who served as Mayor of San Francisco from 1912-1931 and the stampings on this ball date its manufacture between 1929 and 1931. The ball shows overall toning from age and has what appears to be a water mark on the Reach stamp and some bleeding on the “American” on the stamped sweet spot, with the two-tone stitching still clear. The Ruth signature is stronger, but both signatures are solid. A classic signed ball that captures two of the greatest stars of the game at the very height of their careers. This ball comes with LOAs from PSA/DNA and JSA for the signatures.