"The House That Ruth Built" 1st Opening Day - April 18, 1923 Yankee Stadium Ad w/Ruth
 

As a Jays fan, I can respect the Yanks and that's why I have had this in my collection for so long....but I can't keep it forever...'cause.....it's the Yankees! :)

Full disclosure, as Opening Day is around the corner, I thought the members would enjoy seeing this and I would like to know what to let it go for. If this should be moved to the BST section, Leon, I apologize up front and thank you for your latitude.

Full page from the New York Herald from opening day for Yankee Stadium, including a 10.5 inch x 6 inch ad featuring an image of the Babe with:

"Play Ball" and "If - you enjoy a good baseball yarn that is humorous and accurate too. - Do not take your baseball too seriously but enjoy it every minute. - Like vividly graphic writing by a journalist who sees clear through the score. - If you do - then read W. O. McGeehan's story of the opening game of the new stadium, in the New York Herald to-morrow"

Yankee Stadium officially opened on Wednesday, April 18, 1923, with the Yankees' first home game, against the Boston Red Sox. According to the New York Evening Telegram, "everything smelled of ... fresh paint, fresh plaster and fresh grass". At 3 pm, the composer-conductor John Philip Sousa led the Seventh ("Silk-Stocking") Regiment Band in playing The Star-Spangled Banner. After a parade of the players and dignitaries, Babe Ruth was presented with a case containing a symbolically big bat. New York Governor Al Smith threw out the first pitch directly into the glove of catcher Wally Schang rather than the customary couple of feet wide. The Yankees went on to defeat Ruth's former team, the Boston Red Sox, by a score of 4–1, with Ruth hitting a three-run home run into the right-field stands. Asked later for his opinion of the stadium, he replied, "Some ball yard.

Upon opening, Fred Lieb of the New York Evening Telegram dubbed it "The House That Ruth Built". The Yankees also won their first World Series during the Stadium's inaugural season.

What is a fair price to ask for this pls? Would never want to take advantage of a Yankee fan! ;)

Good luck Chris. For the record, a few off topic and/or BST type threads are ok on this side of the board, by good members (no spamming from first time posters), since there aren't as many threads and posts as the home page. Hard to put a value this one. It's one of those items I would try to find the largest audience for (maybe ebay), start low and let her go.....but that's just me and not everyone is as much of a risk taker (which is probably good)...

Thanks Leon! I think that EBay might be the way to go with this.

That's really cool, but I don't think a lot of people would spend too much on the newspaper ad. I think it would look awesome framed and displayed next to an opening day program. I really like old newspapers, but find them impossible to sell for any decent dollar.

Thanks Jason. Agreed, newsprint is tough. Looks great though.

I think a Yankee fan would get a kick out of that. It may be one of those items that could sell better to a non-collector who happens to be a Yankee fan. Great man-cave type of item for sure.

Here are three glass plate negatives that I have that were taken that same day, April 18, 1923.

http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/y...psyfh45yeo.jpg

http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/y...psnpklhmze.jpg

http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/y...pscf0mtwgv.jpg

Tom C

Very cool Tom!

Tossed it up on Ebay if anyone is interested. Thanks!

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/201559748044?...84.m1555.l2649