This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/11/2023.
The 1938 Brooklyn Dodgers were a team on the rise. Managed by HOFer Burleigh Grimes, the club was getting ready to make some changes, one of which was to lure the great Babe Ruth out of retirement and have him serve as the team’s first base coach that season. Ruth took the job with aspirations of possibly becoming the Dodgers skipper one day. However, at the end of the ‘38 season, the Brooklyn front office decided to hire Leo Duroucher as Grimes’ successor instead. Crestfallen, Ruth would never wear another MLB uniform again as this was his last season in professional baseball. That’s why this lot offers a truly rare specimen; one of the only Brooklyn Dodgers team-signed baseballs with Babe Ruth’s autograph gracing the sweet spot. In his only year as a coach, Ruth signed the ONL (Ford C. Frick) baseball in large blue ink on the sweet spot. His signature is joined by 19 other Dodgers’ autographs including notables like Hall of Fame outfielder Kiki Cuyler, Durocher (HOF), third baseman Cookie Lavagetto and first baseman Dolph Camilli, and pitchers Vito Tamulis (12-6) and Tot Pressnell (11-14). The baseball has toned over the years to an even light tan and the signatures overall, rate 7-8/10, in our opinion. Accompanied by an LOA from PSA/DNA (B97786), as well as a full JSA LOA.