Babe Ruth’s jersey, worn when he famously “called the shot” during the 1932 World Series, has been sold for a record-breaking sum.
Ruth’s jersey sold for $24.12m at auction, becoming the most expensive item of sporting memorabilia ever sold at auction.
The BBC reports that the sale dwarfs the previous record sum of $12.6m paid in 2022 for a 1952 Topps baseball card featuring New York Yankees outfielder Mickey Mantle.
Chris Ivy, director of sports auctions at Heritage Auctions, called it “the most significant piece of American sports memorabilia ever offered at auction.”
“If this was a piece of art, this would be like buying the Mona Lisa,” Ivy added.
Babe Ruth was wearing the jersey when he played for the New York Yankees during Game Three of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs.
He famously “called the shot” while batting by pointing with his bat towards centre field, before hitting a home run off Cubs pitcher Charlie Root. The Yankees won the series 7-5 and it was Ruth’s final home run in a World Series.
He retired in 1935, and died in 1948 aged 53.
