Babe Ruth

[Jstottlemire1]

What’s your very favorite Ruth you own? Also the favorite you’d love to own regardless of cost or value. Share pics and enjoy!

Thanks all Josh.

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

I'll go first. I only own two "playing days" Ruth cards....both are pretty beat up. But they are two of my all time favorite cards in my collection...because they are baseball cards of BABE RUTH!

Here are my w517 and 1935 Goudey.

w517 ruth.JPG

Ruth.JPG

As far cards I WISH I owned? A 1933 Goudey 181 (the green Ruth) is my grail card. Part of the reason I like the 1935 is because it uses that same image.

While it's recent price increase may have put it out of reach forever, I've considered maybe cashing out my post war collection someday and putting all the funds into that one card.

[darwinbulldog]

This is my favorite. Financial considerations aside, I can't think of a Ruth card I'd rather have. Maybe the D350-1.

[ullmandds]

my first...and favorite ruth card !

[skelly423]

Always loved this one. Not the most expensive, but that image is second to none.

[5-Tool Player]

Originally Posted by skelly423

Always loved this one. Not the most expensive, but that image is second to none.

Yes, Great, Great illustration of George Herman Ruth

[Casey2296]

I only own two and they are my favorites, of course if money was no object I would own a 1914 Baltimore.
_

[BabyRuth]

love these

[chadeast]

I'm going to cheat and post two cards. They are both among my favorites of all of my cards. The Goudey 144 is absolutely beautiful and maybe my favorite image on a card of all time. I was stunned that I was able to pick up the E220 last year. Love E220's, really love that it is from Ruth's prime, love the image, love everything about it!

[Jstottlemire1]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

my first...and favorite ruth card !

That’s a beast and super tough one as well!

[Carter08]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

This is my favorite. Financial considerations aside, I can't think of a Ruth card I'd rather have. Maybe the D350-1.

I have and love the e121 montage. But I like your two pose montage better than the three pose.

[Mutton Chop Yaz]

Nice cards, gentlemen.

This will be shown up in short order, but it's mine, I could barely even have dreamed about it as a kid, and it's the centerpiece of my collection. I can show it to nearly anyone, collector or not, and they'll regard it with interest.

[Jstottlemire1]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

This is my favorite. Financial considerations aside, I can't think of a Ruth card I'd rather have. Maybe the D350-1.

Incredible I’d like to own this as well some day they don’t come up often.

[Jstottlemire1]

Originally Posted by thatkidfromjerrymaguire

I'll go first. I only own two "playing days" Ruth cards....both are pretty beat up. But they are two of my all time favorite cards in my collection...because they are baseball cards of BABE RUTH!

Here are my w517 and 1935 Goudey.

Attachment 517253

Attachment 517254

As far cards I WISH I owned? A 1933 Goudey 181 (the green Ruth) is my grail card. Part of the reason I like the 1935 is because it uses that same image.

While it's recent price increase may have put it out of reach forever, I've considered maybe cashing out my post war collection someday and putting all the funds into that one card.

His w517 strip pair of cards I think are certainly his finest looking strip cards!

[Aplyon86]

This is an impressive thread! My favorites are these oddball items that are the least valuable of my Ruth's.

The first being a Japanese book published in 1948. Babe Ruth: Immortal Home Run King (is what I'm told it says)

The 2nd being a transcript of a radio broadcast of the 1932 World Series that talks a out his called shot. Unfortunately it doesn't say he actually called his shot.

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[Clutch-Hitter]

Tie:

[MattyC]

My favorite Ruth card of all is Goudey 144 for its sheer looks. Even when I owned all 4 Goudeys, I would always look at the 144 first, last, and most.

If I were able to magically own any other Ruth card I would go with either the Frederick Foto or the Balt News.

[LOUCARDFAN]

My favorite.

[GaryPassamonte]

My only one.

[GregMitch34]

bought today.....decent price...

[GregMitch34]

I'm sure it has been covered here in past but--what is the story with this card? Super rare (e.g. this is the only SGC graded) but allegedly a great mystery. Would love to know. I never even saw it until today....

[BabyRuth]

Greg,
That's actually a 1929 Universal Toy Ruth - flip is incorrect from 'ol SGC

My only Ruth

[brianp-beme]

The drawing looks more like Jimmie Foxx to me instead of Babe Ruth. And I don't remember seeing this Ruth card before.

Brian

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

I'm sure it has been covered here in past but--what is the story with this card? Super rare (e.g. this is the only SGC graded) but allegedly a great mystery. Would love to know. I never even saw it until today....

[brunswickreeves]

My favorite of all time...playing days 1919 W514.

Bold colors, just mesmerizing. 'Home Run King' says it all! The Babe's last Red Sox card (Red Sox colors) / 1st Yankees card. The Babino's Curse card, with fewer than 100 SGC and PSA graded examples. And, year of the White Sox WS scandal.

Most undervalued Ruth card IMHO. The Bambino has an entire US Baseball league in his honor, and his estate still makes more money annually than most of us here. A true legend, and a remarkable playing days card to memorialize that fact.

[Jerry G]

My favorite cards, in my favorite set. The red and yellow were bought in James T. Elder Auctions in 1972.

[Carter08]

Originally Posted by Jerry G

My favorite cards, in my favorite set. The red and yellow were bought in James T. Elder Auctions in 1972.

Wow. Not the point I know but do you remember what you would have paid back then? Some folks like to say Goudey ruth is “overrated” because the pops are high. Easy to forget they’re the best looking cards of the greatest player from one of the most important sets.

[Jerry G]

Originally Posted by Carter08

Wow. Not the point I know but do you remember what you would have paid back then? Some folks like to say Goudey ruth is “overrated” because the pops are high. Easy to forget they’re the best looking cards of the greatest player from one of the most important sets.

Thanks, Carter. I do remember what I paid for the first two. I was a sophomore in college and by necessity watched every penny. I was "rich" from my summer job and popped for $25 each. I was broke by October. The other two were bought at local card shows in the later '70s for; I think, around $50 each. Definitely less than $100. I love the entire set!

[Carter08]

Originally Posted by Jerry G

Thanks, Carter. I do remember what I paid for the first two. I was a sophomore in college and by necessity watched every penny. I was "rich" from my summer job and popped for $25 each. I was broke by October. The other two were bought at local card shows in the later '70s for; I think, around $50 each. Definitely less than $100. I love the entire set!

That’s amazing - thanks for sharing.

[skelly423]

Originally Posted by Carter08

Wow. Not the point I know but do you remember what you would have paid back then? Some folks like to say Goudey ruth is “overrated” because the pops are high. Easy to forget they’re the best looking cards of the greatest player from one of the most important sets.

+1 Agreed. They're not even especially common. The double printed #144 only has ~2100 graded combined between PSA and SGC. You could add a 0 to the end of that number and still be nowhere close to meeting demand for the card.

[JimC]

Josh, there are a lot more favorites I DON'T own (eg that Collins Ruth above and several others shown) but here are some favorites of mine. I have a bit of a soft spot for the Cuban cards . . .

[Directly]

Originally Posted by skelly423

+1 Agreed. They're not even especially common. The double printed #144 only has ~2100 graded combined between PSA and SGC. You could add a 0 to the end of that number and still be nowhere close to meeting demand for the card.

Most of the 1933 Goudy cards in the set on fire including all 4 Ruth cards-!

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by brunswickreeves

My favorite of all time...playing days 1919 W514.

Bold colors, just mesmerizing. 'Home Run King' says it all! The Babe's last Red Sox card (Red Sox colors) / 1st Yankees card (made and released between trade to NY). The Babino's Curse card, with fewer than 100 SGC and PSA graded examples. And, year of the White Sox WS scandal.

Most undervalued Ruth card IMHO. The Bambino has an entire US Baseball league in his honor, and his estate still makes more money annually than most of us here. A true legend, and a remarkable playing days card to memorialize that fact.

The sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees was first announced on January 5, 1920. That says that at earliest this card is from 1920.

[mrreality68]

Great cards everyone
Enjoying this thread

Keep them coming

[HexsHeroes]

.

For me it is a toss up between the 1933 Sports King Ruth, and the 1932 U.S. Caramel Ruth. Back when I started collecting, Sports Kings Ruth was considerably cheaper than 1933 Goudey Ruth cards (although I would eventually own all four numbered variations of Ruth cards too). I love the standing, relaxed pose, and vivid bright green background. The U.S. Caramel Ruth while not an appealing image (IMHO), was rarely encountered in the pages of advertisements in Sports Collectors Digest. So the opportunity to add Ruth to the Cobb and Gehrig I already owned, at a price that fit my budget, was seized upon. Owning them still brings a smile to my face today. Thanks for the chance to walk down memory lane.

[Jstottlemire1]

Originally Posted by HexsHeroes

.

For me it is a toss up between the 1933 Sports King Ruth, and the 1932 U.S. Caramel Ruth. Back when I started collecting, Sports Kings Ruth was considerably cheaper than 1933 Goudey Ruth cards (although I would eventually own all four numbered variations of Ruth cards too). I love the standing, relaxed pose, and vivid bright green background. The U.S. Caramel Ruth while not an appealing image (IMHO), was rarely encountered in the pages of advertisements in Sports Collectors Digest. So the opportunity to add Ruth to the Cobb and Gehrig I already owned, at a price that fit my budget, was seized upon. Owning them still brings a smile to my face today. Thanks for the chance to walk down memory lane.

Thanks for sharing your story, this is turning into a even more incredible thread than I anticipated!

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

The sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees was first announced on January 5, 1920. That says that at earliest this card is from 1920.

So this one would be from Ruth's second year as a Yankee.

[Jstottlemire1]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

So this one would be from Ruth's second year as a Yankee.

Yea sir it is! Nice card.

[midmo]

This isn't my favorite Ruth, but it's a crossover card that I really like because it fits two of my collections. I'm a bit of a 3d/photography/movie nerd (I have thousands of stereoviews and over 300 cameras & viewers). Lloyd was a lifelong 3d photography enthusiast. Most of his photos have only been seen by the family, but I was lucky enough to catch a presentation last year by his granddaughter Suzanne where she showed a good variety of them.

1930sJosettiRuthLloyd.jpg

[Exhibitman]

Lindt & Sprungli, that is a rare one. Nice card Eddie!

[brunswickreeves]

Ruth was sold to NY in 1919:
''What Ruth didn’t know was that he was already the property of the New York Yankees. The papers were signed on Dec. 26, and cash had already changed hands.''

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/30/o...-baseball.html

[brunswickreeves]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

The sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees was first announced on January 5, 1920. That says that at earliest this card is from 1920.

Ruth was sold to NY in 1919:
''What Ruth didn’t know was that he was already the property of the New York Yankees. The papers were signed on Dec. 26, and cash had already changed hands.''

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/30/o...-baseball.html
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[oldjudge]

Are you saying that the card was produced in late December 1919 before the sale was announced to the public? I would not bet a lot on that being right.

[brunswickreeves]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Are you saying that the card was produced in late December 1919 before the sale was announced to the public? I would not bet a lot on that being right.

I wasn't around back then to know for sure 😃 but the below article and research excerpt by John Dreker on 23 Jan 2021 related to Billy Southworth's Pirates card seems to make a pretty strong case that the W514 series was produced in the summer of 1919 (and likely released shortly after the start of 1920, given Ruth's NY Yankees team affiliation (yet Red Sox uniform sleeve color))....

''There are some questions based on player/team designations about the year/years of this set. Southworth helps a little here because he only played left field for the Pirates in 1919. Obviously it wouldn’t have been produced before he moved from right field to left at the start of the 1919 season. He moved back to right field for good on August 8th, so it likely wasn’t produced after the 1919 season ended because he went two months of the season (46 games) without a day in left field. That tells you that the set was probably produced in the summer of 1919, giving them enough time to realize he was in left field, while also allowing some time for his move back to right field mid-season to become permanent.

The blue on the collar and down the middle here was not part of the Pirates uniform during that time, though they did have blue in their colors. However, the black & white photo above has a red “P” on the left pocket, not blue. The blue lettering there came along in 1920. At that same time, the Pirates dropped the solid blue hats, so that color combo didn’t exist during his time in Pittsburgh. An artist was likely going off black & white photos with some notes, so I can’t really blame them for the errors.''

https://history.pittsburghbaseball.c...ly-southworth/

[tedzan]

My favorite Ruth is this 1949 LEAF....because I paid only a penny for it in the Spring of 1949; and, I have a sentimental attachment to it.




Aesthetically speaking, this one is also my favorite....






And, I will include this rarely seen 1949 LEAF Premium of the Babe......




TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[brunswickreeves]

Absolutely amazing buying that in the day, what a legacy!

[hcv123]

Definitely my favorite. Followed closely by Goudey #144.

Would be nice to own one of the black and white rookies with a printed back.

[MR RAREBACK]

1933 goudey ruth #181 is my favorite

[bobfreedman]

but here are mine:

[CardPadre]

A Sport Kings wasn't really on my radar for a 1933 Ruth, but this guy was the first '33 ever that fit my budget, so pulled the trigger just to see how it would feel to own one...and I really love it. Fragile and worn, but happy to be taking care of it now.

(That uncut sheet of Sport Kings above is insane, so many big cards on it, really neat!)




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