“The Colossus of Clout.” “The Sultan of Swat.” “The Great Bambino.” Whatever name you know Baltimore baseball legend Babe Ruth by, you could have a chance to own an artifact tied to the ballplayer.
Three items connected to Ruth have hit the auction block. Last week, Heritage Auctions opened bidding throughout the month of February for its Winter Platinum Sports Night Auction.
The artifacts include: a 1915 Babe Ruth Original Rookie Photograph, valued at more than $500,000; a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth Card, valued at more than $400,000; and a 1945 Babe Ruth Signed Baseball, valued at more than $10,000.
The auction coincides with what would have been Ruth’s 131st birthday. The baseball player was born Feb. 6, 1895 in Baltimore’s Pigtown neighborhood.
During Ruth’s 22-season career in Major League Baseball, he played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Boston Braves.
He began his career as a left-handed pitcher for the Red Sox, but rose to fame as an outfielder for the Yankees. Ruth was one of the first five members to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, alongside Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Honus Wagner.
Ruth died in New York City in 1948 at age 53.
A bronze statue titled “Babe’s Dream” stands near the Eutaw Street entrance to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, paying tribute to the Baltimore sports icon.
