Bettman
One bidder paid a pretty penny to get their hands on one of the most iconic moments in baseball history.
ESPN's Dan Hadziducy reports that the jersey worn by New York Yankees legend Babe Ruth when he “made his shot” in the 1932 World Series has sold at auction for $24.12 million, the most ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia.
Heritage Auction Sports @Heritage_Sport
After a national tour, a return visit to Wrigley Field and tonight's marathon bidding that lasted more than six hours, Babe Ruth's “Cold Shot” jersey sold for $24.12 million, making it the most valuable piece of sports memorabilia in the world. pic.twitter.com/EuHKB3KicP
“This is essentially the Mona Lisa,” said Chris Ivey, director of sports auctions for Heritage Auctions. “It's such a mystical moment, not just in baseball history, but in American history and pop culture history. It's still being talked about 100 years later, which is one of the reasons I think this is the most important piece of sports memorabilia in the world. If this new record is set, it floats all boats. I think it will get more people interested in the hobby.”
Ruth hit a home run in the first inning of Game 3 of the Fall Classic to give the Yankees a 3–0 lead. He returned to bat in the fifth inning with the score tied at 4–4 and pointed toward the outfield midway through his at-bat.
The streak took on a life of its own after the slugger smashed Charlie Root's next pitch into deep center field.
But whether Ruth predicted the home run is up for debate.
2020, MLB.com Chris Landers He presented both sides and concluded that there may have been some truth to each version: Ruth, gesturing with his right hand in the video clip, may have been disparaging the Cubs, but he wasn't specifically predicting a home run.
Either way, few baseball images have captured the imagination as much, and the record auction price for a Ruth jersey is a testament to his enduring legacy.
