Goldin Auctions currently has an auction running with an interesting piece of Babe Ruth memorabilia. While most Yankees history buffs know, Babe Ruth was the first person to hit a home run in the original Yankee Stadium (“The House That Ruth Built”). It happened to be the ballpark’s grand opening – April 18th, 1923. According to the owners of this recent item that is currently up for auction, Ruth actually hit his first home run at Yankee Stadium during a small promotions event at the field in February of that year. And, they have the ball and Ruth’s writing to prove it.
Babe Ruth First Yankee Stadium Home Run Ball – Courtesy of Goldin Auctions
The ball is signed by Ruth with the caption, “The new Yankee field” and dated Feb. 14, 1923. That date coincides with a trip Babe made to the ballpark to check it out and talk a little with the press. According to an account from a News Day reporter, Ruth was in the batter’s box area hitting a few balls for the small set of spectators. It was supposed the first that Ruth signed, making it 2 months earlier then the well-know first home run hit on opening day.
Collector Joel Platt said he got the ball from the family of a person who worked on the field and kept it in his collection for decades before consigning it to Goldin Auctions, which is having a Babe Ruth-themed auction in July at the Babe Ruth Birthplace & Museum in Baltimore. This ball is available for bid until July 12th at Goldin’s website.
Here’s an ESPN video discussing the ball up for auction:
