This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/5/2007.
Although reluctant at first, Babe Ruth was convinced to join the Major League Winter Tour of Japan in 1934 by a Japanese newspaper man who showed Ruth a Japanese sign that read, "Ruth Coming!" The team consisted of 14 American Leaguers with Connie Mack as manager. The highly successful 17 game tour was highlighted by Ruth's 14 home runs, as the American barnstormers played various Japanese high school and post collegiate teams. Further, catcher Moe Berg, who was fluent in Japanese, was actually undercover as a photographer for the U.S. Government in addition to his baseball duties. The 1934 Baseball Tour of Japan remains one of the most intriguing events in the history of baseball. This Reach OAL (Harridge) baseball has been signed in black fountain pen by 21 of the travelers, many Hall of Famers, including manager Connie Mack and Earl Whitehill (Nationals) on the sweet spot, Lefty O'Doul (Giants), Babe Ruth (Yankees), Frankie Hayes (A's), Lefty Gomez (Yankees), Bing Miller (A's), Moe Berg (Nationals/Indians), Lou Gehrig (Yankees), Joe Cascarella (A's), Chas Gehringer (Tigers), Rabbit Warstler (A's), Robert Schroeder (Philadelphia Athletics Assistant Secretary), John Quinn (umpire), Earl Averill (Indians), Jimmie Foxx (A's), Clint Brown (Indians), Eric McNair (A's), Edward "Doc" Ebling (Philadelphia Athletics trainer) and two others. Ball is toned with minor scuffing, with the Ruth, Gomez and Gehrig signatures grading an 8, the Mack a 9 and the remainder averaging a 6 to 8. Accompanied by a LOA from JSA.