(LOT 178)
c.1921 Babe Ruth PSA Type 1 Encapsulated Underwood & Underwood Photo – Measures Approx. 6.5" x 8.5"
The year is 1921 and Babe Ruth never looked better as he dons his classic Yankee pinstripe uniform and seldom seen white pinstripe cap in this classic PSA Type 1 photo. Little did Babe Ruth realize he would be embarking on one of his finest seasons ever; walloping a record-setting 59 round-trippers, knocking in 168 runs and posting a robust .378 batting average. Ruth would lead the Yankees to the 1921 World Series against McGraw's Giants, eventually falling to their cross-town rivals in the Fall Classic. This incredible early season heirloom portrays the Bambino in his 1920s white pinstriped cap at the Polo Grounds on April 25, 1921 before game time against the Washington Senators, with some 15,000 fans in attendance. The immortal Walter Johnson just happened to be pitching that day, and the Big Train would beat the Yankees and Carl Mays 5-3, going the distance and striking out seven batters to claim his second win of the young season.

Yielding only five hits, one of those safeties just happened to be Babe Ruth's fifth homer of the season, a solo shot in the first inning off of a blazing Johnson fastball that landed in the right field grandstands. Measuring 6.5" x 8.5", the somewhat sepia-toned Ruthian "arms folded" pose reveals magnificent crystal-clear clarity, and we cannot detect any notable flaws on the awe-inspiring image. The verso depicts the classic Underwood & Underwood news service credit stamp that has been partially overlaid by a significant "4-25-21" caption detailing Ruth's dinger as follows: "He connected with one of Walter Johnson's famous speed balls and sent it sailing high and swift into the upper tier of the grandstands." Ironically, as a testament to the Bambino's mighty power, the great Walter Johnson was once asked if anyone hit the ball harder than Babe Ruth with the Big Train eloquently responding: "I can't say for sure if Ruth hit the ball the hardest, but his batted balls got smaller a lot faster than anyone!"

MIN BID $500
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