Babe Ruth Memorabilia Buying Guide

By Sean J. O'Rourke

The "Sultan of Swat,” the "Colossus of Clout" or simply "Babe,” George Herman Ruth was a larger than life man both on and off the diamond. The consensus for the greatest player in baseball history, Babe Ruth won seven World Series Championships for the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Born in Baltimore, Md., Ruth was originally scouted as a pitcher. He'd go on to notch a win in his MLB debut on July 11, 1914 for the Boston Red Sox. During his first full Major League season in 1915, Ruth pitched his way to an 18-8 record while batting .315 as he played on his first ever World Series Championship team. As a pitcher Ruth had a record of 94-46 with an earned run average of 2.28. During the seasons of 1917 and 1918, Ruth's offensive abilities became undeniable and he was used more as an everyday player. After three World Series championships with the Red Sox in 1915, 1916 and 1918, Ruth's relationship with Sox ownership wore thin. After demanding his salary be doubled following the 1919 season, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth to the then-lowly New York Yankees for $100,000 in order to finance a Broadway play titled "No, No, Nanette.”  This move turned the pages of baseball history forever. As Ruth would go on to either lead or be amongst the top players in home runs, runs, total bases, batting average, walks and runs batted in over the following 15 years, the Red Sox would go on to not win a World Series post-Ruth for 86 years. Ruth's charisma, swagger and talent drew record crowds to Major League Baseball stadiums who wanted nothing more than to see the "Big Bambino" in person.  In 1927, Ruth would hit 60 home runs, a Major League Baseball record that would stand for 34 years. Winning four more World Series Championships with the Yankees, Ruth finished his career with 714 home runs, a mark that stood until Hank Aaron eclipsed it in 1974. Ruth's off-the-field lifestyle was often reckless, a microcosm of the gluttonous 1920s.

Despite 1935 being Ruth's final season, today he is still one of the most recognizable athletes in American sports. ESPN named Ruth America's #3 All-Time Greatest Athlete in 1999 behind only basketball great Michael Jordan and boxer Muhammad Ali. The Babe is a timeless American hero, one of the figures of our nation's history. To invest in Ruth's authentic memorabilia is to add the highest possible value and asset to your collection.

• Babe Ruth Yankees Lithograph: A great inexpensive addition to your collection! This is an absolutely beautiful lithograph of the one and only Bambino, Babe Ruth. The artist Armand Lamontagne captures Ruth in his Yankee pinstripes over a selection of baseball bats. Hand signed by Lamontagne, this lithograph is an absolutely stunning addition to your home, hobby room or office.

• Babe Ruth & Joe DiMaggio Framed Photograph: A beautiful, truly great piece for your home, this 16x20" framed photograph captures the "Sultan of Swat" Babe Ruth shaking hands and smiling with fellow Yankee great Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio. Ruth's 714 career home runs and DiMaggio's 56-game consecutive hit streak are two of the most achievements in all of sports. Both the best players of their time, this framed photograph is perfect for your home or for that Yankee fan in your life who seems to have everything. Two of America's most accomplished sports' heroes, bring Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio together in your presence forever.

• Babe Ruth Final Appearance Photograph: Shortly after Ruth's death in 1948, the New York Times went on to describe him as "a figure unprecedented in American life.” Captured here during his final public appearance celebrating the 25th anniversary of the opening of Yankee Stadium, Ruth addressed the crowd for one final time. In one of the most famous sports images ever captured, Ruth, clad in his Yankees No. 3 jersey, speaks to the crowd at Yankee Stadium while facing center field. This beautiful, timeless piece of art capturing American history measures 16x20” inches and is fitted perfectly with a black wooden frame. Perfect for the home or office, add this truly iconic legend to your collection today.

• Framed Collage With Game-Used Bat: For the serious collector, this is a beautiful collage celebrating the baseball career of the man who transcended his sport, Babe Ruth. As American as apple pie, Ruth would go on to crush 714 home runs and become a charter member of baseball's Hall of Fame in 1936. This collage is the ultimate way to commemorate the greatest man to ever play baseball. Featuring a photo of Ruth, his career statistics, playing record and an actual piece of Ruth's game-used bat, this collage is custom framed, a great centerpiece for any collection. Own a part of American sports history today!

• Babe Ruth Photo, 23 HoF Autographs: It's often said of Ruth that was less than a god but more than a man. The man who wore the No. 3 for the New York Yankees is an American sports hero, known around the world almost 60 years after his death. A fitting tribute to a man who was a charter member of baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, 23 fellow members of the baseball Hall of Fame have signed this custom-framed photograph of the one and only Babe Ruth, including Hall of Famers George Kell,  Tony Perez,  Paul Molitor, Robin Roberts, Al Kaline, Brooks Robinson, Steve Carlton, Fergie Jenkins, Carlton Fisk, Lou Brock, Bob Feller, Jim Palmer, Willie McCovey, Mike Schmidt, Kirby Puckett, Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, Wade Boggs, Hank Aaron, Tom Seaver, Whitey Ford, Duke Snider, and Phil Rizzuto. It goes without saying that this list includes some of the greatest players to ever step foot onto the diamond. Add this centerpiece, autographed by an amazing 23 members of baseball's Hall of Fame, to your collection today and make an investment that will live on forever.

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