This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/31/2005.
The biggest question in New York entering the 1928 baseball season was "what would the Yankees do for an encore?" The Yankees had just come off what was debatably the greatest season in baseball history; the 1927 Yankees had amassed 110 wins en route to their sweep of the Pirates in the World Series, and Babe Ruth had swatted a then-record 60 home runs. The fans need not have feared - the 1928 Yankees posted 101 victories and swept the Cardinals for back-to-back World Series victories. Ruth smashed 54 homers and tied Gehrig for the team lead with 142 RBIs. Gehrig batted an astonishing .374. George Pipgras hurled 24 wins and Herb Pennock led the team with a 2.56 ERA. Although beset by injuries at season's end, Ruth and Gehrig carried the Yankees in the Fall Classic. While the rest of team batted .196, the "dynamic duo" hit a combined .593 with seven home runs and 13 RBIs, including five homers in Game 4 (three by Ruth, one by Gehrig and one by Durst). Tragically, it would be the last of three championships for Yankees under manager Miller Huggins, who died in 1929 at the age of 49 from blood poisoning. This cream colored red and blue stitched OAL Barnard baseball is signed in black fountain pen by 20 members of the 1928 World Champion New York Yankees. Signatures include Babe Ruth on the sweet spot, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Earl Combs, Leo Durocher, Waite Hoyt, Gene Robertson, Mark Koenig, Mike Gazella, Bennie Bengough, Joe Dugan, Hank Johnson, Bob Meusel, Ben Paschal, Tom Zachary, Myles Thomas, Johnny Grabowski, Fred Heimach, George Pipgras and Herb Pennock. Ball shows some toning, signatures average a 7 with several 8s and a very few being light. The Ruth signature is certainly an 8 with Gehrig rating a 6. One of the rarest team signed baseballs in the world. Accompanied by a LOA from James Spence Authentication.