The New York Yankees' “Cold Shot” jersey worn by Babe Ruth in the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs sold for $24 million on Sunday. (LM Otero/Associated Press)
The New York Yankees uniform worn by Babe Ruth when he hit his alleged “called shot” home run in the 1932 World Series has sold for $24 million, cementing its status as one of the most valuable pieces of sports memorabilia.
Heritage Auctions' record-setting auction on Sunday added to the legend of that day 92 years ago at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Legend has it that Ruth pointed to center field before the next pitch, signaling where the next home run would land. While there's no doubt that the Bambino hit a home run off Chicago Cubs pitcher Charlie Root on his next swing, repeated analysis and examination of the moment has called into question the historical accuracy of the “called shot,” leading many to conclude that it probably didn't happen that way.
Still, the story created a lot of buzz, and after a six-hour bidding war, Ruth's jersey sold for $24.21 million, nearly double the previous record for a sports collectible, according to Heritage Auctions, which organized the auction. That record had been held since August 2022, when a 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for $12.6 million.
Heritage Auctions said Ruth's jersey was “photo matched” by multiple third parties and used multiple photos from that day, Oct. 1, 1932, including a Chicago Daily News photo of Ruth with Lou Gehrig in the dugout at Wrigley Field.
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The jersey's new owner, whose identity has not been released, has purchased “the most significant piece of American sports memorabilia ever to come up for auction,” Heritage's athletic director, Chris Ivey, said in a statement.
A few years after he retired from baseball in 1935, Ruth gave the jersey to a golfing buddy living in Florida. It remained in the family until the 1990s, when a sports auctioneer bought it, Heritage Foundation officials said. It was then auctioned in 2005 for $940,000 and remained in a private collection until last weekend.
Legend has it that Ruth, in a fit of rage before angry Cubs fans and players, pointed to center field during his fifth at-bat with two strikes already in hand, then hit a home run in the direction he was pointing.
But a 1995 Times article said a recent review of the evidence from that day found little evidence that the events occurred as they are told, calling the incident “a piece of enduring baseball lore.”
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An analysis of grainy film from Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, testimony from other players nearby and even personal comments from Ruth determined that he made a gesture before hitting one of his two home runs that day, but it wasn't to the location of his next home run.
Some say he may have been riling up the pitcher or reacting to a rowdy dugout in the home team's home field, while others claim he was just gesturing toward center field.
So the appeal remains.
“The large turnout at the auction and the record-breaking bid make it clear that astute collectors are in no doubt about what this Ruth jersey is and what it represents,” Ivey said. “The legend of Babe Ruth and the myth and mystery surrounding his 'Called Shot' are all blended together in this special artifact.”
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This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
