1935 Whitman Babe Ruth

[Brownie33]

I recently picked up this 1935 Whitman Babe Ruth card at an antique mall this weekend.

Do collectors consider this to be an actual Babe Ruth card? I'm not too familiar with this set or the popularity it has with Ruth Collectors.

[ullmandds]

this is not considered a collectible babe ruth card, imo. may have been issued after he retired...does not present his likeness in any way...to me just having the name babe ruth on a card does not make it collectible...imo.

[brianp-beme]

Even the little details are wrong...the batter is hitting from the right hand side of home plate with a right handed grip on the bat, and is choking up on the bat, for crying out loud! Because Babe's name is on the card it will still fetch a few bucks though.

Brian

[Brownie33]

I’m right there with you. I thought so as well.

[Brownie33]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

this is not considered a collectible babe ruth card, imo. may have been issued after he retired...does not present his likeness in any way...to me just having the name babe ruth on a card does not make it collectible...imo.

It was issued in 1935, his last year. I was shocked to see that SGC and PSA graded these and the Cobb card from this set. They have been going for a few hundred which I found interesting as well.

[NiceDocter]

The face on the back of the card looks more like a young Ruth than the guy with the bat!!!!

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Brownie33

It was issued in 1935, his last year. I was shocked to see that SGC and PSA graded these and the Cobb card from this set. They have been going for a few hundred which I found interesting as well.

Probably has a lot to do with the influx of flippers/investors in the hobby, coupled with there not being tons of graded examples of these cards out there........yet. They see Babe Ruth on the flip, and go for that instead of the actual card. At least other such obscure game cards, like those Autographs Game cards from 1945, have drawn images/portraits of the likes of Ruth and DiMaggio on them, along with facsimile signatures. But whoever drew the portrait of Ruth on those 1945 Autographs cards did a horrible job. What I'm assuming was an attempt to draw and show a shadow effect under Ruth's nose ends up looking to me like he's sporting a Hitler style mustache. Not a fan!

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

this is not considered a collectible babe ruth card, imo. may have been issued after he retired...does not present his likeness in any way...to me just having the name babe ruth on a card does not make it collectible...imo.

his last year and to me not a Babe Ruth and not a card I would buy or even advise a started collector to buy

[Brownie33]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

his last year and to me not a Babe Ruth and not a card I would buy or even advise a started collector to buy

Well it was a $4 purchase so I figured I couldn’t go wrong not knowing much about this card going into it. I got another 8 cards in the $4 bundle and is a cool talking piece at the end of the day.

I appreciate the insight all!

[brianp-beme]

For $4 definitely no harm no foul, so nice pickup. But still, it appears that both of his legs go into one shoe...another strike against it! And Ruth's legs were kinda twiggish compared to this dude. And I don't remember the Babe wearing his hat backwards.

Brian (Babe Ruth depiction fault checker)

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Brownie33

Well it was a $4 purchase so I figured I couldn’t go wrong not knowing much about this card going into it. I got another 8 cards in the $4 bundle and is a cool talking piece at the end of the day.

I appreciate the insight all!

Should have said $4 in the beginning. For $4 it is a fun card or a conversation piece etc

[BobC]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

Should have said $4 in the beginning. For $4 it is a fun card or a conversation piece etc

Agreed!

[GeoPoto]

I paid more than $4 for this, which is part of a set that apparently was catalogued by Burdick. As Wrigley said: (something like) "Anybody can make gum. It's selling it that is hard".

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1666084892

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by GeoPoto

I paid more than $4 for this, which is part of a set that apparently was catalogued by Burdick. As Wrigley said: (something like) "Anybody can make gum. It's selling it that is hard".

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1666084892

interesting that a card like that looks so clean. Never would have thought someone would have saved that over 75 years ago and taken care of it.