Ruth Contract

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Posted By: Rob L

Break out the Ben Franklin's everyone, the original Red Sox/Yankees Babe Ruth contract is for sale. Bidding is at $ 1,000,300 right now. Another piece of memorablia that will be in the $1 million club...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43353&item=5135174066&rd=1

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Posted By: dennis

to me....i'd want a little more "proof" for my million.

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Posted By: Gary B.

Did some of these bidders take insanity pills? Who on earth would spend $1,000,000 on an auction from someone with 80 positives and such crappy scans. Don't HUGE auctions like this just HAVE to go through a MAJOR auction house to guarantee authenticity. That letter is supposed to be your guarantee? I thought these things made the mainstream press news. How can such a shoddy looking operation be selling something legitimate of that stature? I just can't imagine legitimate people bidding on this - what the hell is going on here???

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Posted By: Rob L

Actually, I found out about this auction on a sports break on ESPN radio out here in Los Angeles. Looks like you get nice photocopies of the contract in this auction. Sheesh.

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Posted By: Gary B.

I looked at this person's history - he has 80 positives, and they were all from buyers, so they have sold before successfully, but all of them are too old to be able to see details of the auctions. Here are some highlights of quotes from this seller's feedback (besides the usual speedy transaction/packed well/fast shipping usual responses):

"Nice coin"

"Very pretty medal"

"Excellent coin"

"Great coin!"

"Coins in excellent condition"

"Fantastic postcards"

"Georgous necklace"

Something REALLY strange is going on here if people are legitimately willing to throw this kind of cash at this auction - wow!

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Posted By: Rob L

Can Alan Shawn Feinstein and a Sister of Mercy Nun end ‘The Curse’ on the Red Sox?


It is said that Babe Ruth cursed the Red Sox in 1919 when they sold him to the Yankees, saying they would never win a World Series again.

Alan Shawn Feinstein purchased at auction the only known copy of that 1919 contract that sent Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees – the most famous sports contract of all times. It cost him $99,000, just $1000 less than what the Yankees paid for Babe Ruth.


Alan has made up some replicas of that contract to give away in return for charitable donations. This year two of those replicas were placed in auctions for charity and they brought $200 and $300 each.


Recently the House of Hope in Warwick, RI – a shelter for needy families – was in danger of closing. Alan promised to raise $100,000 to keep it open and have it renamed in honor of the memory of a beloved Sister of Mercy nun, Sr. Fran Conway of Providence, RI. She devoted her life to helping the needy and was also an ardent Red Sox fan. “I’m sure Sr. Fran is smiling down on us now,” says Mr. Feinstein


For just a $30.00 (tax-deductible) donation to the Sr. Fran Conway House of Hope, Alan will send you one of these treasured replicas along with a magazine feature story about it and the ‘The Curse’!


Mr. Feinstein makes no claim to believing in the curse but the Red Sox have been on a tear since he began making this offer. Maybe, just maybe, the Gods might finally smile on the Red Sox with that infamous contract being used to help needy people – and what could be any more fitting than donations to “Sr. Fran Conway House of Hope”.

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Posted By: scgaynor

It was featured on the news here in Massachusetts last week. The guy predicted it would bring 1 million, the high bid could be a self fulfilling prophecy.

If it is legit, There is a big difference between having a bid of 1 million and actually collecting the money.

Scott

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Posted By: Rob L

How could they just let anybody bid? They should have some sort of pre-approval process. The fact that I can bid on this makes it seem like a scam!

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Posted By: leon

and it wasn't real. I have no idea about this one but don't think it should be worth that much regardless....just my personal opinion. I sure wouldn't buy it without some very very stout LOA and COA and would want to personally know the seller ie..our own Barry Sloate, Mastro, REA, Lipset, Hunts, Lelands, Sothebys, Christies, , etc.........later

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Posted By: ramram

Kind of like those "I'm selling my soul" auctions that get all kinds of fake bids...and press coverage.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Like Scott said above,supposedly this is the real thing and was featured on the news and in the papers.I cant find anywhere somebody claiming[whteher it be an individual or a museum] that they have the real thing besides the guy selling this.

Now assuming that all that is true,you have to wonder,especially going thru feedback,if the high bidder actually has the money to spend that much.Hes bought many items 10 dollars and below off ebay and doesnt exactly have the best feedback as it is

BTW,if you go thru ebay youll find about 25-30 auctions selling copies of this contract

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Posted By: runscott

I sent the seller an email expressing surprise over the scan quality and received an email back that, while friendly, didn't appear to be from someone possessing an item of this value. I asked for a hi-res scan of the Cobb letter, simply because I would like to see it.

It amazes me that this item isn't being sold by a major auction house - the high rollers who avoid ebay would certainly come out. That's a major red flag, but it could simply be that the seller thinks they could get more on ebay and decided to handle everything themselves rather than pay a professional to take photographs, etc. There are lots of incredibly cheap people out there!