Auction Item Details
Lot 339
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Lot Number: 339
Description: Significant 500 Home Run Club autographed baseball: A Unique Specimen Featuring Twenty One Members including Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx (PSA/DNA)(JSA). On August 11, 1929 Babe Ruth launched his 500th career home run over the right field wall at Cleveland's League Park where it bounced into the hand of Jake Geiser who was waiting to board a bus. Geiser retrieved the baseball and later was escorted to the Yankees dugout to exchange the historic orb for a crisp $20 bill and a ball signed by the Bambino. As in many other categories, Ruth had achieved something that no other player before him had accomplished. The 500 Home Club had been established by its charter member and grew to become the most coveted achievement group in the history of the game. The offered baseball began its journey having been signed by the two greatest sluggers of the 1920-30s era Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx. Subsequently, an aspiring collector methodically added members of club to the ball beginning with Willie Mays (1970s era based on signature style), Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Willie McCovey, Harmon Killebrew, Mark McGwire, Frank Robinson, Eddie Murray, Ernie Banks, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Reggie Jackson, Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Mike Schmidt, Eddie Mathews, Albert Pujols, and Miguel Cabrera. Signatures vary from 7/8 to 9 out of 10 with Ruth displaying beautifully across the sweet spot. The ball itself is a non official variant of a high quality with even light toning throughout. While Mel Ott is obviously not attainable the other six players needed on the baseball (Arod, Thome, M.Ramirez, F.Thomas, Ortiz, and Sheffield) could all be fairly easily attained through signings if so desired. There is believed to be one other Ruth signed 500 Home Run baseball of some type in existence but we were not able to document specifically. In either case, the offered example is indisputably the finest and most complete of any documented 500 Home Run Club signed baseball. Additionally, this signed baseball stand firmly among the most significant theme oriented examples that have ever been offered at public auction. Monumental rarity. Includes full LOAs from PSA/DNA and JSA: Signatures: Range NM-NM/MT+, Baseball: EX-MTEstimated Price Range: ($100,000-$300,000)
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