Auction Item Details
Lot 325
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Lot Number: 325
Description: Important Babe Ruth professional model baseball bat attributed to his record setting 59th home run of the 1921 season with an autographed letter from Ruth. After the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919, Ruth immediately quelled the fears of any New Yorkers who thought he might not live up to the billing. During his 1920 inaugural season in New York, Ruth hit 54 home runs destroying his previous mark of 29 set in 1919. He also batted .376 and led the league in several categories, including RBI's and runs. In fact, Ruth hit more home runs than the cumulative player totals of all but one Major League team. Although expectations were obviously high for the 1921 season, it was unlikely that even Ruth himself could best the statistics from 1920. But then again, Babe Ruth was unique. He was like no player before or since, with an unprecedented blend of power and natural ability that revolutionized the manner in which the game was played. By all accounts, Babe Ruth's 1921 season was the greatest by any batter in Major League history. In 152 games, Ruth batted .378, had 204 hits, 177 runs, 44 doubles, 16 triples, 171 RBIs, 144 bases on balls, 119 extra base hits, 59 home runs, and an almost fictional .846 slugging percentage. In addition, Ruth led the Yankees to their first American League pennant. Although Babe Ruth had attained a measure of celebrity in Boston, his emergence as a national figure very much accelerated upon arriving to New York. Ruth was featured in various advertisements and endorsements. Along with other Yankee teammates, he competed in various barnstorming exhibition games after the season, several of which earned him suspensions by the Commissioner's office. Like so many other sports figures of the period, Babe Ruth also dabbled in motion pictures and stage features. Harry Weber represented Ruth in his theatrical endeavors during the early 1920s and fared quite well, commanding fees for Babe Ruth of nearly $3,000.00 per week. Harry's brother Fred, of Phoenix, AZ, was also acquainted with Ruth, and in October of 1921 received an extraordinary gift. On October 2, 1921, during the final game of the season against the rival Boston Red Sox, Babe Ruth belted his record setting 59th home run. The mark would be eclipsed only once (by Ruth in 1927) in the next forty years until Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961. Offered is a superb Babe Ruth professional model baseball bat as presented to Fred Weber, which is attributed to have been used by Babe Ruth to hit his 59th home run of the 1921 season. The bat itself is a Louisville Slugger 125 dash-dot-dash model bat with 1917-21 labeling featuring Ruth's first signature contract stamping on the barrel end. Measuring 35 3/4" in length and weighing an unbelievable 47 ounces, the bat exhibits evident use including ball marks, grain swelling, surface markings, and cleat marks. Original lathe marks are visible on both the knob and barrel ends. Within the centerbrand, there is an area slightly lighter in color, which may indicate that some sort of label had been placed over top of the finish. The back area of the barrel end also has a small indentation. Overall color and wood grain remain in beautiful original condition exhibiting a rich, deep brown color. The bat is accompanied by an original typewritten letter dated October 13, 1921 on Hotel Ansonia stationary. The letter was sent with the bat to Fred Weber in Phoenix, AZ and reads: October 13, 1921 To My Friend "Fred P. Weber" Phoenix, Arizona It gives me great pleasure to present you with this-my trustworthy bat with which I batted out my 57th and 58 [9]th home runs at the Polo Grounds-New York City on September 26, 1921 and broke my own world's home run record. Yours in baseball, "Babe" Ruth Remaining in a period frame, the letter is signed by Ruth in black fountain pen with the signature rating 8 out of 10. It is apparent upon examination that the numbers "57" and "58" have been altered with period ink. In the case of the "58", it appears that the number "8" has been typed over with a number "9". Furthermore, the portion of the date within the text containing "September 26" appears to have had an attempt at correction in the period with visible surface erasure and evident vestiges of typed numbers under the present date. Through research, it was discovered that the offered bat has a mate, now residing in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, that was originally given to Fred Weber's brother, Harry, by Babe Ruth. The bat in the Hall of Fame is also accompanied by a similar typewritten letter on Hotel Ansonia stationary dated October 12th, 1921 which links the bat to Ruth's 57th and 58th home runs. The Hall of Fame letter is secretarial signed "Babe Ruth". It is interesting to note that the dates of the two letters sent to the Weber brothers correspond to the final two games of the 1921 World Series. The letter to Fred Weber is dated just one day after the letter to Harry Weber and clearly exhibits an attempt in the period to adjust both the home run numbers and the date they were hit. Given the similarities between the letters, it would be reasonable to presume that the two were typed at close intervals. Fred Weber's letter was probably modeled after Harry's, mistakenly typed, and then corrected rather than re-typed before its mailing. Additionally, Fred Weber's letter is the only exemplar actually signed by Babe Ruth himself; Harry Weber's letter in the Hall of Fame and another known Ruth bat letter from the same season were each secretarial signed. Considering the fact that Fred Weber's letter was signed by Babe Ruth himself, and based comparisons of the two bats, the letters, and accompanying provenance, it appears that the offered Fred Weber bat may in fact be the one used to hit the record setting 59th home run of the 1921 season. The offered Babe Ruth game used bat represents the pinnacle of its type, dating to the greatest overall single season offensive performance in Major League history and accompanied by an original letter of provenance signed by Babe Ruth himself. There have been numerous Babe Ruth game used bats of merit offered to the collecting public over the last dozen or so years, many of which have been described, both accurately and inaccurately, as "significant", "rare", and "important". That said, let there be no mistaking the supreme magnitude of the offered bat, which is without question, one of the finest extant and is among the most important Ruth game used artifacts ever offered at public auction. Includes letter of provenance showing descent to Fred Weber's nephew and eventually to a family friend, LOA from James Spence Authentication (autograph on the letter), LOA from MEARS Authentication (bat, graded the highest possible level at A10*), and LOA from Hunt Auctions, Inc.
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