(LOT 549)
1945 Babe Ruth Single Signed Official American League Harridge Baseball w/a Breathtaking Blue Fountain Pen Signature - Full PSA/DNA LOA!
"Every now and then some athlete is touched for a moment with a kind of higher level of greatness which they may never achieve again, but at that moment, they were more than life allows... such was Babe Ruth's impact on baseball" - the iconic words of the legendary CBS Commentator Heywood Hale Broun No baseball player before or after could possibly hope to match the dynamic charisma and diamond excellence as the incomparable Babe Ruth! The "Bambino's" unparalleled accomplishments have set the ultimate benchmark for any professional baseball player, with his remarkable mystique placing him as the idol of a seemingly infinite number of aspiring young fans. Such was the case for our esteemed consignor who has decided to part with this breathtaking single-signed Babe Ruth baseball that has resided in her family for 72 years. Her late father and his twin brother grew up in the "Windy City" as die-hard White-Sox fans, with her grandfather escorting both 9-year-olds to a 1945 game at Comiskey Park.

To the excitement of a myriad of kids, an ailing Babe Ruth just happened to be at the game that day, visiting the White Sox dugout and eventually giving a speech to a group of boys sitting nearby (Ruth would sadly succumb to cancer only 3 years later). Earlier in the game, our consignor's father had caught a foul ball and after listening to the "Sultan of Swat's" inspirational words, politely asked him if he could sign the baseball. Since Ruth was feeling "under the weather", he had already refused to sign autographs for the large group of boys gathered around him. Fortunately, he made an exception for our consignor's dad, scripting his hallowed "Babe Ruth" name on the American League Harridge ball's sweet spot in extremely bold blue fountain pen. Ever since that amazing event, the single signed ball has remained in their family, immediately placed in a brown paper and secured in a safety deposit box for over half a century. We cannot even begin to imagine how many times an avid fan's life was touched forever due to receiving a Babe Ruth memento, and such was the case for this 9-year old boy who coveted it for a lifetime until eventually passing it along to his kids. 

While scripted Ruth baseballs are certainly not rare, single signed specimens associated with a unique story while revealing the boldest possible signature imaginable are few and far between. No signed Ruth collectible is more exalted than a single-signed horsehide-sphere, and this sensational offering literally transcends time, effectively placing the enthusiast 72 years back in time to an era when our National Pastime was ruled by a fury of passion, rather than by steroids and greed. Its sheer existence conjures up memories of our consignor's dad at the tender age of 9 beaming with the enthusiasm of attending a home-town game, with not even an inkling of what would transpire on that sunny afternoon. Dreams do come true because what would miraculously take place was the origin of this "Ruthian" signed keepsake that would become the cornerstone of a family's passionate childhood memories "echoing for eternity".

No artifact could possibly be more desirable than an imposing Babe Ruth "single-signed" official baseball. The sheer thought of placing such a hallowed artifact on one's favorite mantelpiece or curio cabinet shelf spurs a "spine tingling" feeling from any sophisticated enthusiast; for no player past, present or future could possibly compete with the 'Sultan of Swat's" larger than life persona. The "Babe" exemplifies everything our National Pastime represents at a level that exceeds the game itself. Each passing day his popularity increases profoundly, with avid collectors actively seeking to capture any of his most valuable treasures. As a testament to his unparalleled power, the great Walter Johnson was once asked if anyone hit the ball harder than Babe Ruth with the "Big Train" 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"!

Virtually none of Ruth's collectibles can match the sheer satisfaction of a brilliant "single-signed" horsehide sphere, and this remarkable keepsake just happens to boast one of the boldest "Babe Ruth" blue fountain pen scripts extant. Accompanied by a full PSA/DNA LOA, the signature proudly portrays "Near-Mint+" strength with very few Ruth baseballs depicting a finer autograph on the sanctified sweet spot. The ball itself reveals a tightly red-stitched horsehide that exhibits the standard toning typically associated with most 72-year old baseballs. The "Sultan of Swat" has set the ultimate benchmark for all other players to be measured against, justifying why he stands tall as the supreme baseball immortal and embodiment of a National Hero.

What better collectible to seize of this "greater than life" legend than one of his premier single-signed baseballs, depicting a mammoth-like bold blue fountain pen Babe Ruth script. Our consignor sincerely hopes that the baseball's future owner is likewise captivated by its storybook origin for this extraordinary offering magically restores the splendor of our bygone youth! - Full PSA/DNA LOA

MIN BID $5,000