Lot 1299A

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Description:

GEORGE HERMAN 'BABE' RUTH
(1895 - 1948) Legendary American baseball star and Hall of Famer who hit 60 home runs in 1927 and had a career total of 714. An important and historical Ruth piece, a signed 1943 Mexican banknote, or 'short-snorter', signed in well-aged black ink: 'Babe Ruth' and dated in another hand: 30-5-46'. The note in circulated condition, Ruth's signature quite bold and distinct despite having been penned across a dark printed seal. In May, 1946 Ruth was in Mexico City on a trip with Bernardo Pasquel, vice president of the Mexican Baseball League, who sought to employ the slugger as an executive with the league. Ruth spent about two weeks south of the border, and the news of his trip was all over the national sports pages, with most assuming he would accept some type of position with the league. But Ruth didn't talk about any offers on his return, holding firm that he was just on a vacation with his wife, daughter and son-in-law: 'They gave me a wonderful time and I enjoyed every minute of it. I went fishing, I played golf, I took in a bull fight and in my farewell appearance in Mexico I poked a couple of home runs for them. The exact date of this game is uncertain, but we know it was at Parque Delta in Mexico City where essentially all baseball games in Mexico were played. According to our consignor, the previous owner advised him: 'Babe had signed it in an exhibition game at Delta Park between two Mexican baseball teams on May 30, 1946, where he gave his last recorded home run, that day when leaving the stadium many people approached him to sign some balls, T-shirts...among the things [this] Mexican bill...' If true, this bill would have been signed on the day Ruth hit his last home run. He became ill in November that year with what was eventually determined to be cancer, and died in 1948. A most desirable Ruth piece!

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January 19, 2024 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000