(LOT 626)
1920 Babe Ruth w/Sailors Original Type I Underwood & Underwood Sepia Photo - Measures Approx. 5-1/2" x 8-3/4" - PSA Type I LOA
The year was 1920, and Babe Ruth was about to embark on a Yankee career that would place him as the undisputed premier baseball player of all-time! Indeed, when the Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold the 24-year old Ruth to the New York Yankees on January 5, 1920 for the historic amount of $125,000, little did anyone know that the "Bambino" was about to embark on an unparalleled slugging career that would make fans quickly forget his superior pitching dominance.

This remarkable 5-1/2" x 8-3/4" Underwood & Underwood sepia-toned image captures the "Babe" taking a July 17, 1920 picture with sailors from the U.S.S. Tennessee, America's mightiest battleship. Having just swatted his 29th home run the other day, Ruth would eventually set an astounding single season mark by ending the year with an "unheard of" 54 round trippers and sensational .376 batting average. The photo clearly reveals the excitement of many of the eleven young sailors as they meet and greet baseball's foremost star, with one sailor proudly hoisting the U.S.S. Tennessee flag.

No glaring blemishes are evident within the central image, with the only obtrusive flaw being a somewhat significant upper left corner chip. The critical Underwood & Underwood text is included on the extensive caption that provides a thorough account of this event. A truly nebulous early Ruth Yankee heirloom, it conjures up memories of his inaugural Yankee season and how it captivated a seemingly countless number of young Americans!

MIN BID $300