The Great Bambino is still out there breaking records. The jersey that legendary New York Yankees baseball player Babe Ruth wore during his famous “called shot” moment just sold through Heritage Auctions for $24.12 million.
The previous auction record for the most paid-for sports memorabilia was held by a 1952 Topps card of fellow Yankees legend Mickey Mantle. That piece went for $12.6 million at a Heritage auction in 2022. The record for the most expensive game-worn jersey belonged to Michael Jordan from his first game with the Chicago Bulls in the 1998 NBA Finals. It sold for $10.1 million, also in 2022, through Heritage.
Babe’s Jersey
While basically everything Ruth owned is deemed historical now, this particular jersey took part in sports history. He dawned it during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. During what is now referred to as the “called shot” moment. While playing on Wrigley Field, Ruth showed off an almost supernatural knack for calling the placement of his second and final home runs of the game. This won the Yankees the game 7-5, taking the series from the Cubs.
The jersey passed through several third parties who used three photos taken before and after the famed game.
Game Day Mystery
Some grainy black-and-white footage is all the evidence that still exists of the moment itself. In the video Ruth seems to point beyond the outfield, potentially indicating where he’s about to hit a homer. Seconds later, he hits the ball far over the center field fence. Legend has it that, he did this because the Cubs had been taunting the Yankees from their dugout. This was just the slugger returning fire.
Ruth even told various versions of the game throughout his life, at one point claiming that he called the shot. However, what actually happened is still widely disputed among sports historians.
“It is a mystery to this day,” sports journalist Joe Posnanski told NPR last year. “What we do know is that the Cubs dugout was really riding Ruth, and he was really, you know, sort of riding them back. And we know he made some very grand gestures with his hand. There are those who say he held up his finger just to say it only takes one swing. And there are some who say he held up two fingers because they say he was saying, ‘OK, I have two strikes, and watch what I do now.’ ”
Is It The Real Deal?
Like the play itself, the jersey’s authentication was somewhat inconclusive with one company saying their photo-matching was unable to confirm its authenticity. But that still didn’t stop collectors from entering a six-hour bidding war over it.
“It is clear by the strong auction participation and record price achieved that astute collectors have no doubt as to what this Ruth jersey is and what it represents,” said Chris Ivy, Heritage Director of Sports in a statement. “The legend of Babe Ruth and the myth and mystery surrounding his ‘called shot’ are united in this one extraordinary artifact.”
