(LOT 1874)
1948 Babe Ruth Single-Signed Baseball PSA/DNA LOA - Auto Grade 6
SCRIPTED BAMBINO BASEBALL!!! Over the course of his extraordinary 22-year career, Babe Ruth's commitment to the game was unmatched and his generosity knew no bounds. After retiring at 40 in 1935, Ruth was out of baseball completely by 1937, but his love for the game and significant name recognition did not go unnoticed. The Babe served as the national director of American Legion Baseball for the Ford Motor Company in the final year of his life, 1947, visiting ball fields and youth across the country. Despite suffering from throat cancer, that would ultimately take his life in 1948, Ruth visited youth teams all over the US to promote the game of baseball and encourage young players to keep up the hard work that would help them get to the next level.

Offered here is a vintage Wilson Official Baseball signed by The Babe at a children's hospital in Hollywood. Our consignor's mother-in-law served as a nurse where Ruth made one of his final hospital visits to sick children in Los Angeles as he promoted his autobiography The Babe Ruth Story and subsequent film, of the same name, released in 1948. This creamy white ball shows little sign of aging other than a couple light discoloration spots. "Babe Ruth" is prominently signed in the sweet spot and has been shellacked only over his name for preservation to which PSA has graded "6" strength. The north panel displays the date "5/11/48", only 97 days before his passing, indicating that this could be one of the final balls signed by the Bambino, in an unknown hand in black. This beautifully signed Babe Ruth single-signed ball is one of the last he ever signed as he returned to New York and passed away only three months later.

MIN BID $2,500
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