(LOT 2053)
c.1934 Babe Ruth Signed Tour of Japan Original Batting Photo - Measures Approx. 7" x 9" - Full PSA & JSA LOAs
Any Babe Ruth signed photo merits the highest hobby accolades, substantiating why this incredible 1934 original "Tour of Japan" batting illustration autographed by the immortal Ruth stands a bona fide museum worthy masterpiece. It is no secret that Ruth ordered a bunch of these original sepia-toned images for the purposes of signing them for his multitude of zealous followers, with this particular illustration portraying the Bambino completing his mighty swing as he watches another colossal blast head towards the Japanese grandstands. Ruth signed these images as heirlooms for both his Japanese and American fan base, with a sparse number surviving the past 88 years. This particular offering was boldly signed "Sincerely, Babe Ruth" in black steel tip fountain pen directly to the left of his right leg/hip, with the autograph revealing conservative "NM-MT 8" strength. Most significantly, it does not include any personalization, with a majority of the known examples exhibiting a personalized salutation. Its original lineage can be traced back to one of the most celebrated global baseball events ever, the highly esteemed 1934 "Tour of Japan" whereby legendary manager Connie Mack was asked to piece together an 18-player All-Star team to challenge Japan's finest players/teams in 18 contests.

Not the first overseas trip to Japan, professional baseball squads had previously experienced similar tours in 1908, 1913, 1920, 1922 and 1931. However, in those five prior tours, our American all-stars were matched up against Japanese amateur or college teams, resulting in lopsided contests. Japan had high hopes for the 1934 tour for they would now match up their premier professional players from a nucleus of Japanese teams dubbed the "Big Six" against the American all-stars. Of course, Connie Mack's first player choice was George Herman "Babe" Ruth who, via his prior world tour and unparalleled reputation, was now a "global fixture". Additional Hall of Fame icons would include Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Charlie Gehringer and Lefty Gomez, with the ultra-popular and eventual WWII spy Moe Berg also on America's roster. Upon arrival to Japan, an amazing 500,000+ Japanese faithful came out to greet the American players with the immortal Ruth obviously receiving maximum accolades and sufficing as the most formidable crowd-pleaser.

Seemingly delirious fans would relentlessly cry out "Beibu Rusu - Beibu Rusu", with the Bambino waving both the American and Japanese flags for the captivated crowd. The games would be played in various stadiums, some of which included Meiji-Jingu Stadium in Tokyo, Koshien Stadium in Kobe, and Yagiyama Baseball Field in Sendai. While Japan was now utilizing professional players, eleven of which would eventually be inducted into the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame, much to the delight of the American people the results remained the same. The American's once again bested Japan in all 18 games, with the "Sultan of Swat" clouting an incredible 13 home runs and solidifying his place among avid Japanese followers as a bona fide baseball god! In lieu of the unprecedented prestige associated with this tour, any related artifacts are highly sought-after by the collecting community, especially one such as this boldly autographed original Ruth 7" x 9" marvel. Utilized for gifting purposes to Ruth's ardent fans, in 2020, a private sale of a non-personalized 1934 "Tour of Japan" postcard-sized image approached $100K.

This grand offering reveals a captivating Ruthian batting pose as the mighty Babe has just completed his hallowed swing. While the critical central image has eluded any serious flaws, several scattered creases encompass Ruth's iconic pose. For full disclosure, three vertical tears along the lower region and one horizontal tear along the upper left edge have been supported by clear tape on the verso. Additional blemishes include an upper border chip exhibiting some missing paper stock, and a heavy soiling spot near the upper left corner. Yet, most would agree it is the unscathed central image and sensational Ruth autograph that "steal the show". While we are certainly not suggesting a signed '34 Tour of Japan photo belongs on the same playing field with a scripted Babe Ruth baseball card, its undisputed scarcity, magnificent autograph/central image, and Tour of Japan historical provenance all combine to place it as "the next best thing". As previously stated, another one of these autographed Ruth batting images has sold privately for nearly $100K, and considering there appears to be no end in sight for this spiraling value up-tick, it makes perfect sense for these previously undervalued Babe Ruth signed Tour of Japan souvenir photos to escalate in value!

MIN BID $2,500
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