(LOT 24)
Extremely Rare c.1915-1919 Babe Ruth Boston Red Sox Batting Photo – Measure's Approx. 3-1/2" x 4-3/4" - Full PSA Type I LOA
The most esteemed Babe Ruth enthusiasts most prized collectibles include pre-1920 artifacts from his illustrious playing days with the Boston Red Sox. Whether it is his heralded rookie card, early signatures, game used items or original photos, these time-defying treasures literally "turn back the clock", transcending us back to an era when the "Bambino" turned the baseball world upside down via his unfathomable batting achievements. Advanced enthusiasts clearly understand that his Red Sox relics are few and far between, justifying why this original PSA Type 1 Ruth batting photo suffices as an extraordinary find! To the best of our knowledge, this magnificent "Ruthian" image is "fresh to the hobby", and we at Memory Lane have never seen this exact Babe Ruth Red Sox batting pose on any other card or illustration. Photo enthusiasts surely realize that a significant number of Ruth's Boston Red Sox images portray the "Babe" in either a pitching or portrait pose, with only a handful of batting poses available (one of which recently sold for $31K in our Spring Auction!).

Authenticated as a circa 1915-1919 Type 1 photo (photographer unknown) by the prestigious PSA Company, we cannot image a more classic Ruth batting pose as the Bambino shows off his mammoth lumber in a leisurely moment near the dugout. Since PSA cannot pinpoint an exact year, we cannot label this as an irrefutable "rookie era" image, but more significantly, it represents a seldom surfacing Babe Ruth batting photo with his inaugural Boston club. Showing glimpses of supernatural power, it wasn't until 1918 that the Red Sox realized they needed to insert Ruth into the lineup on days when he wasn't pitching. Heralded as the game's irrefutable premier southpaw, along with Walter Johnson and Grover Alexander, Ruth was dubbed one of the three finest pitchers in the game. In his six-year Boston stint, he would win 91 games to the tune of a stellar 2.19 E.R.A., leading the Red Sox to 3 World Championships while setting a record of hurling 29+ consecutive scoreless innings in World Series play (since then broken in 1961 by Hall of Famer Whitey Ford).

However, due to his mighty bat, in 1918 the Red Sox began reducing his pitching duties (he won only 13 games in a mere 20 appearances), playing the "Babe" in 95 games with Ruth walloping 11 round trippers. This trend would continue in 1919 whereby Ruth clouted a record 29 home runs, knocked in 113 runs and batted a formidable .322 in 130 games. No wonder world-class photo collectors typically agree that any original Babe Ruth Red Sox batting image is among the and most highly coveted collectibles extant. Measuring approximately 3-1/2" x 4-3/4", the highlight of this timeless treasure is Ruth's classic batting image with the "Bambino" donning his period style Red Sox uniform and colossal bat that looks more like a telephone poll in his gigantic hands. Emanating awe-inspiring eye appeal, the sepia-toned image portrays crystal clear clarity, and you can virtually feel the incomparable Babe about to complete his mighty swing.

Other than some negligible soiling near the upper edge barely visible to the naked eye, the overall aesthetics of this hallowed image are consistent with any near mint collectible. Strong right-angled corner tips, sharp edges, no obtrusive surface flaws and the aforementioned sparkling central image complete one of the finest preserved Babe Ruth Red Sox photos extant. The verso reveals some minor notations, and as previously stated, the lack of a news service/photographer stamp prevents PSA from placing the photo to a specific photographer. Regardless, more momentous is the fact that this seemingly "timeless" and possibly "unique" offering has been deemed an irrefutable Type I Babe Ruth Boston Red Sox batting photo by PSA, immediately earning it the highest hobby accolades! - Full PSA Type I LOA

MIN BID $2,000