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Signed Babe Ruth glove used in historic 1916 World Series hits auction block
The immortal Babe Ruth is known for numerous Ruthian feats.
His league-leading 59 home runs and 168 RBI in 1921. The historic first home run at Yankee Stadium in 1923. An astonishing 60 home runs in 1927. His promised three dingers for sick kid Johnny Sylvester in 1926. His called shot in the 1932 World Series. And, of course, his record 714 home runs — a mark that stood for nearly 40 years.
But when asked about the greatest accomplishment of his career, Ruth did not name any of the above legendary feats. No, his proudest moment was his 14-inning pitching masterpiece in Game 2 of the 1916 World Series.
After giving up an inside-the-park solo home run in the first inning, Ruth reeled off 13 straight scoreless innings for the Boston Red Sox in a 2-1 win over the National League champion Brooklyn Dodgers. Ruth’s performance remains the longest pitching outing in postseason history and extended his World Series scoreless innings streak to 29 1/3 innings, a record that stood until Whitey Ford broke it in 1961.
The baseball glove used in his 1916 masterpiece is now up for bid in the Winter Platinum Night Sports Auction, which runs through Feb. 24-25 at Heritage Auctions. The glove, signed and personally authenticated by Ruth, could be “the most significant game-used item ever to be placed upon the hobby's auction block,” according to Heritage.
The pale leather Spalding glove is signed by Ruth twice and features a notation that reads: “Glove I used in the 1916 World Series.” It also features the signatures of Red Sox teammates Harry Hooper, Duffy Lewis, Larry Gardner and Tillie Walker, as well as what appears to be a box score from the game in an unknown hand.
The autographs and Ruth’s handwritten notation have all been authenticated by Beckett, with further authentication by PSA/DNA. According to Beckett, Ruth signed the glove in 1916, and then again with the notation decades later, probably in the 1930s or ’40s.
Longtime Beckett autograph and authentication expert Steve Grad calls the glove “one of the coolest things I think I’ve ever seen.”
“It is one of the coolest, most significant, most historical game-used items in the history of our business,” Grad said in a video for heritage. “This truly does belong in a museum.”
According to the consignor, the glove was acquired 30 years ago from a Los Angeles-area sports museum that once featured the collection of sports memorabilia pioneer Joe E. Brown, who collected significant game-used pieces such as Ruth's 60th home run bat and Herb Pennock's 1927 World Series glove, each inscribed to Brown with the same manner of notation documenting its significance. Ruth’s 1927 60th home run bat sold for $660,000 at Heritage six years ago.
The glove has an estimated value of $1 million and a current bid of $320,000 in the auction that runs through Feb. 24-25.
The auction, which features more than 1,600 lots, also includes two other significant Ruth artifacts.
Also from Ruth’s Red Sox days is a postcard featuring the 1915 Red Sox, including a 20-year-old, baby-faced Ruth. The postcard, one of only a handful ever graded by PSA, also features Hall of Famers Tris Speaker and Harry Hooper. Graded PSA 6, the postcard has a current bid of $340,000.
Also featured is the Hillerich & Bradsby bat Ruth used in 1928 and 1929, a two-season span when he hit 100 home runs, drove in 300 runs and batted a combined .333 to lead the Yankees to another World Series. The bat is signed by Ruth.
Other auction highlights include:
• A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card graded PSA 8.5. It has a current bid of $987,500.
Also See: Top Mickey Mantle cards for collectors
• A circa 1971 game-used Hillerich & Bradsby bat signed and inscribed by Roberto Clemente.
• A game-worn and signed Milwaukee Braves jersey from Hank Aaron’s 1962 season when he hit 45 home runs.
• A complete set of 1986 Fleer basketball cards, all graded PSA 10, including Michael Jordan’s rookie card.
• A 2017 game-worn, signed Tom Brady New England Patriots “Color Rush” jersey gifted to Julio Jones.
• A poster promoting Albert Spalding’s 1988-89 Baseball World Tour.
Jeff Owens is the editor of SCD.
