This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/12/2012.
The most celebrated athlete of his generation, Babe Ruth's fame extends far beyond the game of baseball; he was a true legend. He exemplified the ultimate in sportsmanship and athleticism, and was a hero of mythic proportions to youngsters and adults from all walks of life. In his first season as a Yankee (1920), Ruth belted a whopping 54 home runs, far surpassing his own record of 29. In 1926, the Bambino batted an extraordinarily impressive .372 with an astonishing .516 on base percentage. With 184 hits and 146 RBIs, he also managed to belt out 47 homers to lead the league, which he would do 12 times in his career. He even batted .304 career as a pitcher! Perhaps his most famous record is that of 60 home runs in a season. The "Sultan of Swat" averaged over 50 homers a season from 1926 to 1931, hitting a home run once every 12 plate appearances on average. His career slugging percentage of .690 is far ahead that of runner up Ted Williams (.634). Babe Ruth's signature is by far the most popular and sought after autograph in the hobby today. It is, of course most prized on a baseball, representing the game that made him a household name around the world. In terms of signature quality, this is one of the finest Babe Ruth single-signed baseballs we have yet to handle and one of less than a handful of Ruth single’s with a PSA 10 Autograph Grade. “Spalding Official Texas League” baseball flawlessly signed in bold, blue ink across the sweet spot by Babe Ruth; a signature graded a 10 by PSA/DNA and is darker than the navy blue tackle twill on a Yankee jersey. Notations not in Ruth’s hand written on two separate panels in blue ink indicate that Ruth signed this ball in 1947 while attending a minor league game in Houston. One panel reads “Houston Texas 7-10-47 Buffalo Stadium”. The opposite panel reads “Game Between Houston +Fort Worth Score 1-1 11 Innings”. The ball has retained much of its original white hue and the ball stamps are bold and clear. Aside from the beautiful condition of the ball, it is the boldness and quality of the signature that cannot be overstated. The signature has defied both time and elements and is as bold and pronounced as the day Ruth signed it. EX-MT overall condition. This pristine baseball was assigned an overall grade of an 8; the autograph graded a 10 and baseball a 6. We were informed by our consignor that this ball may be the highest overall example of an inscribed ball that PSA has yet graded and certainly no autographed Ruth single-signed signature has ever been graded higher by PSA. Accompanied by a LOA from JSA and backed by a LOA from PSA/DNA.