(LOT 25)
Babe Ruth Signed 1935 "Babe Ruth Home Run Special Baseball" Including a Rabbit Maranville – Full PSA & JSA LOAs
We can only imagine Harry Helbing's sheer joy when the incomparable Babe Ruth signed this "Babe Ruth Special" baseball for the Schaeffer Beer vendor at Ebbets Field in late April 1935. Nearing the end of a remarkable 22-year career, it was unthinkable to witness the "Sultan of Swat" in a Boston Braves uniform at the start of the 1935 season. For the past 15 seasons (his first 6 years w/the Red Sox), the "Babe" had donned Yankee Pinstripes and tested the furthest confines of any ballpark's fences, on his exalted journey to an unprecedented 714 round trippers. In the winter of 1935, Yankees owner Col. Jacob Ruppert began working a deal w/the Boston Braves' owner Judge Emil Fuchs to send Ruth to Boston who was starving for the needed publicity. On February 26, 1935, the "unthinkable" happened when Ruppert sent Ruth to Boston as a player/assistant manager to Bill McKechnie, ending his legendary Yankee career.

The Babe would give his fans one more monumental moment when on May 25, 1935 he would wallop his final 3 home runs against Pittsburgh at Forbes Field, with his final 714th dinger clearing the roof! Unfortunately for Ruth, he would not last past June, choosing to officially hang up his playing spikes forever on June 2, 1935. Ruth would make his final playing appearance at Ebbits Field the last weekend in April against the Dodgers, and it was this fabled weekend that our consignor's grandfather would secure this remarkable keepsake. Scripted on the sweet spot in black fountain pen, the signature depicts approximate "6/7" strength, with the nice flowing script neatly positioned between the tight green/red stitching. Rabbit Maranville's rather scarce autograph is affixed on the west side panel, exhibiting similar signature strength as the iconic Babe Ruth script.

Additional Boston Brave signatures include A. Spoher, H. Gowdt and S. Hogan, with the ball's marking still reflecting a majority of their original bold black quality. The horsehide sphere's surface only portrays mild toning, and no obtrusive surface flaws are evident. As an added treat, the original box for the original "Babe Ruth Home Run Special" box is also included, the final exclamation point to a superb Ruthian collectible offered to the public for the very first time! - Full PSA & JSA LOAs. As nice as the signature is on this ball, it is only signed once on the sweet spot by Ruth. The "Babe Ruth" above the Home Run Special is a stamp signature.

*Included with this signed Ruth baseball is the original Babe Ruth Home Run Special box.  While the box no longer includes its bottom base and exhibits several tears/creases; the critical Ruth portrait image and Home Run Special side panels still reflect a majority of their original luster.   Extremely scarce in any condition, it resides as a magnificent compliment for this scripted Babe Ruth horsehide sphere.

MIN BID $1,500
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