Original film negative capturing Babe Ruth at work in a factory. This is a most unusual Ruth photo in that we have no other information other than what we can see. At first glance, it appears he is making baseballs, but the assembly line process shown here is not how balls were made. The fact that he is wearing a cap for his hair, and the other workers at the far end of the line are all dressed in apron/smocks suggests they are working on a food product. Ruth is nattily attired in a suit, so it is obvious that this was a promotional photo taken as he paid a visit to the plant.

If we had to guess, this image might very well picture Ruth helping in the production of Babe Ruth Home Run Baseballs, which was a short-lived ice cream product bearing his name. Babe Ruth Home Run Baseballs were simply vanilla and chocolate ice cream balls coated with chocolate. In the positive image posted here, we can see Ruth putting what appear to be balls comprised of two colors (one light, the other dark) on a conveyor that is bringing them down to the other workers. We can also see that the balls are completely covered in a heavy dark coating at the other end of the line, which is most likely the applied chocolate.

Babe Ruth Home Run Baseballs were produced in 1922 by the Elite Chocolate Coated Base Ball Co. of El Paso, Texas. The company was in business for less than a year and the only tangible reminders we have today of Babe Ruth Home Run Baseballs are a single wrapper and a rare promotional postcard picturing Ruth eating one of the treats. (Kids could redeem the wrappers for a signed Babe Ruth baseball, which probably explains why we have seen only one example.) The business was marketed strictly as a franchise, but obviously it found few entrepreneurs willing to invest in ice cream baseballs, even those bearing Ruth's endorsement. The film negative (8.25 x 6.25") displays small chips at each corner and is otherwise in Excellent condition. Culled from the legendary Brown Brothers Film Archives. (Please note: the positive image seen on our website is for illustrative purposes only and does not accompany the negative; only the negative is offered in this lot.)