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Lot # 643: Baseball Signed by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Two Others (PSA)

Starting Bid: $5,000.00

Bids: 13 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring Classic 2022",
which ran from 5/20/2022 7:00 PM to
6/11/2022 10:00 PM



Red-and-blue stitched official American League baseball signed by three of the greatest players in baseball history: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio. The ball has also been signed by Jimmie Reese, who was Babe Ruth's teammate with the New York Yankees, and Smead Jolley, a former Major League player who some regard as the greatest hitter in minor league history. Each player has signed the ball on a separate panel, with Ruth's signature occupying the sweet spot. Both Ruth and Gehrig have signed in black ink, while DiMaggio, Reese, and Jolley have scripted their names in blue ink. The signature grades are as follows: Ruth (7/10), Gehrig (7/10), DiMaggio (8/10), Reese (5/10), and Jolley (6/10). Balls signed by Ruth, Gehrig, and DiMaggio, the pillars of the New York Yankees' baseball dynasty, are rare because Ruth and DiMaggio never played together (Ruth left the Yankees after the 1934 season and DiMaggio joined the club in 1936). Because of that one-year gap, balls such as this generally had to be signed over time, and this one is no exception. Our consignor's father obtained the signatures of Ruth, Gehrig, Reese, and Jolly around 1930, while DiMaggio's signature was personally obtained by our consignor many years later. Although the Major League careers of Reese and Jolley were short, both are well known today. Reese remained in organized baseball as a coach for nearly eighty years and was still a coach with the California Angels when he died in 1994 at the age of 92. He was also universally regarded as the greatest fungo hitter in baseball history. Smead Jolley was an outstanding hitter, but a very poor defensive outfielder, which was the reason his Major League career was brief. Yet, in his three full seasons in the Majors, he hit over .300 and averaged 106 RBI. He also hit over .400 one season in the Pacific Coast League and only twice in 20 professional seasons did he fail to hit over .300. The ball displays light soiling, as well as a few small surface blemishes. In Very Good condition overall. Full LOA from PSA.

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