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Rare documents from Babe Ruth’s sale to Yankees highlight Lelands Spring Auction
When the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919, it changed baseball history forever.
Ruth went on to hit a then-record 714 home runs and lead the Yankees to four World Series championships from 1920-34.
Rare historical documents related to the sale of Ruth to the Yankees highlight Lelands 2023 Spring Classic Auction, which runs through April 22.
The collection of rare documents include two of the three promissory notes issued as part of the payment for Ruth’s contract. Also featured in the nine-lot collection is the letter detailing why the Red Sox sold Ruth, and a letter from the Yankees to the Red Sox owner on the day the two teams came to terms on the deal.
The Ruth documents originated from the famed Barry Halper Collection and were purchased by Lelands’ consignor in 1999 during the sale of Halper’s collection by Sotheby’s. They have remained in the consignor’s possession ever since. Lelands sold Ruth’s signed contract for $2.3 million at auction in 2017.
The auction also includes a 1928-30 Ruth-signed, game-used bat graded PSA 9 and a 1947 single-signed Ruth baseball (PSA Mint 9).
The auction also features a hobby-fresh 1925 Exhibits Lou Gehrig rookie card (PSA VG-EX+ 4.5). Only 43 Gehrig Exhibit rookies have been graded by PSA, including this Pop 1 example with just nine graded higher.
Other vintage baseball highlights include: a 1928 Exhibits Gehrig-signed card; the finest Walter Johnson single-signed baseball (PSA NM-MT 8); a 1914-15 Cracker Jack Baseball complete set from the Barry Halper Collection; a Gehrig handwritten high school notebook with more than 20 “Gehrig” signatures; the only known Roberto Clemente MLB debut ticket stub; an extremely rare 1919 Reds World Championship player’s pin, the equivalent of World Series ring at the time; and a team-signed ball from the same Reds team.
Also featured is Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Bourque’s five Penguins Stanley Cup championship rings, two as a player and three from his broadcast career.
Among modern collectibles are: the jersey worn by Aaron Judge during Games 3 and 4 of the 2022 ALCS; LeBron James’ 2017 Cavaliers game-worn jersey from when he passed Kobe Bryant as the youngest player to reach 28,000 points; Tom Brady’s first ever NFL TD pass football from Brady’s 2000 rookie season; five Brady-signed, game-used footballs, including his first in 2002; a Joe Burrow photo-matched 2022 Bengals game-worn jersey from his career-high rushing game; Ronnie Lott’s 1990 49ers Super Bowl XXIV signed game-worn jersey.
Additional auction highlights include: the only known Bill Russell NBA debut ticket stub; a signed 1951 Mickey Mantle MLB Debut PSA Type 1 photo; a 1981 Michael Jordan UNC Tar Heels NCAA debut ticket stub; and Aroldis Chapman’s 2016 Cubs World Series ring ordered for a friend.
