(LOT 119)
Babe Ruth "Home Run Grip" Type I Original c.1920's Underwood & Underwood Photo – Measures Approx. 7" x 9" - Full PSA Type 1 LOA
Babe Ruth photos continue to reach stratospheric heights with regard to popularity and value, with a recent "Home Run Grip" early 1920's image surpassing $25K! Indeed, the floodgates have opened with regard to world class images, and as is the case with scarce baseball cards, Babe Ruth stands tall as the most coveted player in the illustrious photo market. The sheer wonder of our hobby is the appearance of a valuable memento that has not seen the "light of day" for a seemingly infinite amount of time, substantiating why we at Memory Lane are proud to now offer another early 1920's Babe Ruth "Home Run Grip" image that has been safely tucked away in an esteemed photo collection. Issued by the renowned Underwood & Underwood News Company in the early 1920's, peering at this exalted image, you can literally feel Ruth's period style lumber that weighed roughly 42 to 45 ounces during that timeframe.

It is no secret that the "Sultan of Swat" changed the game forever via his colossal blast that outdistanced the furthest confines of any ballpark, and the virtually immaculate resolution and contrast emanating from this hallowed keepsake can conceivably send a "shiver" down the spine of any consummate collector. You can clearly see how Ruth placed his right hand near the lowest part of the bat with his legacy being that he actually wrapped his pinky finger around the knob. While the illustration also reveals Ruth's background Yankees home pinstripe jersey, the critical focus is his majestic "hands on bat" grip that eventually resulted in the "Babe" swatting 714 career round trippers to the tune of a spectacular .342 lifetime batting average. Other than a few faint horizontal printing lines barely visible to the naked eye, no glaring flaws are evident on this 7" x 9" masterpiece, the perimeter includes four sharp corners, and the critical "Underwood & Underwood" stamp is affixed to an otherwise clean verso.

In lieu of the "Black-Sox" scandal, baseball was experiencing a rather tumultuous time in the early 1920's with severe skepticism regarding its prosperous future. Enter George Herman Ruth who changed all of that after his world-renowned trade to the New York Yankees before the 1920 season. His awe-inspiring long balls and personality changed the game forever, placed a seemingly infinite number of people in the stands and rejuvenating the game to its current standing as America's undisputed National Pastime. No wonder the most recent "Ruth Batting Grip" image realized such a staggering price tag, for this truly remarkable photo represents the foundation of Ruth's majestic swing that commenced with the simple "gripping of a bat" and typically ended with a myriad of mammoth blasts that captivated a Nation! - Full PSA Type I LOA

MIN BID $750