Ruth's 'called shot' jersey fetches record price at auction
The New York Yankees road No. 3 jersey Babe Ruth wore when he hit his legendary “called shot” home run at Wrigley Field in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series has sold for $24.12 million, shattering the record for the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold at auction and adding to the legacy of one of the greatest -- and most debated -- moments in baseball history.
Heritage Auctions announced back in May that it was putting the jersey up for bid, marking the first time it was made available to the public in 19 years. Bidding ended just after 5:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.
The previous record price for any sports collectible sold at auction was set in 2022 when a rare, mint-condition Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle card went for $12.6 million. That same year, a Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls jersey worn during Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals fetched $10.1 million, setting the record for the most expensive sports jersey sold at auction.
The Ruth jersey was last put up for auction in 2005 and sold for $940,000. At that time, it was linked to the 1932 World Series but not conclusively tied to Game 3 or the called shot at-bat. Multiple companies have subsequently photo-matched the jersey to that game, causing its value to skyrocket.
Ruth hit the storied home run in the top of the fifth inning of Game 3, part of a sweep of the Cubs by Ruth’s Yankees in the 1932 Fall Classic. Ruth had already homered once in the game, swatting a three-run shot in the top of the first.
As the story goes, Ruth made a pointing gesture prior to hitting the second blast off Chicago’s Charlie Root, a solo homer to center field that broke a 4-4 tie. Sportswriter Joe Williams has been widely credited with crafting the legend that Ruth had made the pointing gesture toward the center-field stands as a way to call his shot.
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Although video was later uncovered that revealed that Ruth did indeed make a pointing gesture during the at-bat, the direction and intent of the gesture remains unclear to this day.
While the debate may never be settled, the moment is forever etched in baseball lore. It now holds a special place in the sports collectible world, as well.