(LOT 152)
1925 Exhibits Champions Babe Ruth PSA 3.5 VG+ - POP 1!
SCARCE RUTH EXHIBIT!!! Super scarce in any grade, this exalted PSA 3.5 VG+ 1925 Champions Exhibits Babe Ruth resides as one of his most elusive cards. The SOLE example at this super-eye-pleasing assessment, a mere six specimens have managed to best this obscure exhibit, with a PSA 5.5 residing as the finest of its kind! The eclectic Champions Exhibits set includes 32 subjects representing a top athlete of the day from various sports, with the highly coveted Babe Ruth card being the sole baseball player in the set. Most significantly, this is the exact batting pose featured on Ruth's legendary 1921 E220 National Caramel card, with that image allegedly taken on opening day 1921 at the Polo Grounds. It is this hallowed pose that is highly coveted by the most sophisticated enthusiasts, whether on his aforementioned E220 subject or this likewise scarce 1925 Champions Exhibit Ruth.

The notion that this glorified image was taken on opening day 1921 is solidified by the Polo Grounds grandstands, Ruth's pinstriped white cap and the American flag in the background (Yankees wore white caps for their home games in 1919 and 1921). While the Yankees did play the Giants in the 1921 World Series at the Polo Grounds, where red, white and blue bunting was likewise utilized, 1921 World Series game images clearly indicate that the Yankees switched to classic midnight blue caps for their Fall Classic games (most likely due to the Giants also utilizing white caps). We are therefore left to assume that the only other game that would be prestigious enough to require American flags (or bunting) would be opening day, which traditionally included any type of decorative red, white and blue paraphernalia. That said, the Yankees would best Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics by an 11-1 score on opening day in 1921.

It would be the Babe himself who would steal the show, posting five hits in five at-bats, including two doubles and two runs batted in. The Yankees would move on to win the AL Pennant via their impressive 98 wins, but ultimately lose the Fall Classic to their cross-river rivals, the New York Giants. It's no coincidence that the Champions Exhibit set would include the Sultan of Swat as the only baseball subject, with Ruth now the toast of the Big Apple and baseball's greatest player. Fresh off the heels of a monster 1924 campaign that saw the home run champion pace the Junior Circuit in dingers (46), batting average (.378), total bases (391) and OPS (1.252), Babe Ruth was now highly recognized across the globe. A host of manufacturers were now utilizing his hallowed name to promote their company's brand, with the World's Champions Exhibits being one of a myriad of baseball card issues portraying his iconic name/image. Other than the immortal Charles Conlon 1927 Ruth batting image used for his 1933 Goudey cards, arguably no other Babe Ruth Yankees batting pose is as desirable as this classic illustration.

The offered masterpiece reveals a majestic Ruth image that has miraculously eluded any glaring flaws, with his classic white Yankees cap and pinstripe uniform literally stealing the show. Relatively clean surfaces on both sides have side-stepped any major creases, and preventing a higher assessment is typical surface/corner wear, with all four corners reflecting diminutive abrasions. Crystal clear, the awe-inspiring black and white pose turns back the clock to an era when Ruth was revolutionizing baseball via his mammoth homers. The Babe ruled our National Pastime, and his illustrious name is situated in a neat gray text box that reads: "BABE RUTH (U.S.A.) – WORLD'S CHAMPION BASEBALL PLAYER." Substantiating the Champions Exhibits Ruth's esteemed standing is a previous PSA 4 example fetching a lofty $66,000 in a September 2023 auction, with VG or higher graded specimens virtually impossible to come by!

MIN BID $10,000
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