excathedra Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Babe Ruth Bat That Felled the Red Sox Goes on Sale By Ilaina Jonas NEW YORK (Reuters) - The bat Babe Ruth used to hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium and help usher in 80 years of New York Yankee dominance over his former team, the Boston Red Sox, is going on the auction block. The pre-sale estimate for the 36-inch (90-cm) ash wood bat Sotheby's will auction off next week is $1 million, but organizers of the sale say it could fetch a record price for sports memorabilia. The Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-1 in the inaugural game on April 18, 1923, at Yankee Stadium -- known as "the House that Ruth Built." The famed "Curse of the Bambino," said to have started with Boston's sale of Ruth to the Yankees before the 1920 season was getting into full swing as the Red Sox domination of baseball yielded to the Yankees, who won the World Series (news - web sites) in 1923. The Red Sox finished dead last that season. The curse did not end until this year when the Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918 after staging the greatest comeback in postseason baseball history to beat the Yankees for the American League championship. "When Babe Ruth hit the home run with this bat, it set the tone for the 1923 season," said Dan Imler, auction coordinator from SportsCards Plus, which is presenting the sale with Sotheby's. "It could be said his home run marked the final transfer of power from the Red Sox to the Yankees." The bat is among hundreds of baseball memorabilia lots in the Sotheby's sale on Dec. 2 dubbed "The Babe Comes Home." Other big names linked to items on sale include Dodger pitching great Sandy Koufax, Yankee slugger Mickey Mantle and "Pee Wee" Reese of the old Brooklyn Dodgers. Imler said he would not be surprised if Ruth's bat beat the record $3 million paid for the ball Mark McGwire hit for his 70th home run in 1998. "We believe that this is not only the finest piece of Babe Ruth memorabilia to come on the market but the finest piece of sports memorabilia," he said. The bat was originally given to the winner of a high school hitting competition in 1923. Another big sale item is the ball from Mantle's first major league home run. Mantle signed the ball and wrote "My First H.R. in the MAJORS, May 1, 1951, 4:50 p.m Chicago." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstar1 Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 quote: the greatest comeback in postseason baseball history I still love to hear that phrase.... Babe Ruths bat -- 1 Million dollars Putting an end to endless suffering --- priceless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
excathedra Posted November 25, 2004 Author Share Posted November 25, 2004 why is this person / entity parting with it now ? the magic heebie jeebies are gone ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawtucket Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 Make toothpicks out of the bat!!! The Red Sox won the world series!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
excathedra Posted November 30, 2004 Author Share Posted November 30, 2004 i'm so happy your dad got to see that love,ex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ham Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Maybe we at greasespot should toss in a few coins. Uncle Hairy could sure use it for his trip to New Knoxville.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
mstar1
I still love to hear that phrase....
Babe Ruths bat -- 1 Million dollars
Putting an end to endless suffering --- priceless
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
why is this person / entity parting with it now ?
the magic heebie jeebies are gone ?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
pawtucket
Make toothpicks out of the bat!!!
The Red Sox won the world series!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
i'm so happy your dad got to see that
love,ex
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ham
Maybe we at greasespot should toss in a few coins. Uncle Hairy could sure use it for his trip to New Knoxville..
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.