A Babe Ruth Jersey Could Sell For $30 MILLION DOLLARS At An Auction Next Week
Bettmann. Getty Images.SOURCE - The jersey that legendary New York Yankees player Babe Ruth wore when he hit one of baseball’s most famous home runs could sell for $30 million this month — which would make it by far the most expensive game-worn jersey ever sold.
Ruth was wearing his road gray No. 3 jersey when he played against the Chicago Cubs in the 1932 World Series. He appeared to gesture toward something in center field just before hitting a fifth-inning home run into the bleachers.
Over the last 92 years, the “Called Shot” has become infamous in baseball lore, being “endlessly celebrated, imitated and replicated,” according to a press release by Heritage Auctions, which is offering the sale. However, where Ruth was actually pointing — at something deep in the field, like the flagpole, or at the Cubs pitcher — has been contested over the years.
Owning a Babe Ruth jersey would be pretty fucking awesome. But $30 million dollars? Is it THAT much cooler than owning a Michael Jordan jersey? One from the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $10.1 millions dollars in 2022.
Now, a huge part of the allure of this jersey is that is one he wore in the 1932 World Series when he called his shot. But, how do they know THIS is the jersey? There is even still a ton of doubt whether he called his shot at all. This 4 minute video is a pretty great breakdown of it.
But I get it. If we are still talking about it nearly a century later, whether he called it or not isn't that important. It's the moment itself that is special. My overall point is if we don't even know if he called it, how are we so certain that THIS is the jersey? For $30 million dollars, I'd want to be really fucking sure.
My favorite Babe Ruth memorabilia story was when David Wells bought a Babe Ruth hat and then wore it in an actual game.
It's crazy how even though it's still a Yankees hat, how different it looks. I love that Wells did this. It's such a cool way to honor baseball history. Fun fact: the Yankees logo was designed by Tiffany's. The interlocking "NY" was on a medal given to a policeman shot in the line of duty in the late 1800's.
$30 million dollars is such a huge amount. How rich would you have to be to make a purchase like this? You'd have to be worth at least $400 million to have this money to throw around. Would you ever wear the jersey? You'd have to at least once right? Run around outside recreating the shot while playing whiffle ball with your friends? Then I'd get it displayed.
The only drawback is I bet it smells weird. The Babe didn't seem like the cleanest guy and old clothes smell weird anyway.
