Babe Ruth ‘called shot’ jersey to be auctioned
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Dan Hajducky, ESPN
The jersey worn by New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth when he “called his shot” in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series will go up for auction in August, Heritage Auctions announced Tuesday.
The sale of the road gray Ruth jersey, available to the public for the first time in 19 years, is expected to set a record for a sports collectible at auction, where it could fetch upward of $30 million, according to Chris Ivy, Heritage Auctions’ director of sports auctions. The auction is set for Aug. 23-25.
The jersey last sold for $940,000 in 2005 with Grey Flannel Auctions. At that time, it was dated to the 1932 season and purported to be from that year’s series. But the jersey has now been photo-matched by MeiGray Authenticated as the one Ruth wore in Game 3.
“There were a couple of things that helped [this jersey] stand out from previous seasons,” said Jim Montague, MeiGray’s vice president of authentication. “How the Y was positioned on the front of the jersey in relationship to the buttons and the placket on the jersey. Back then, everything was hand-stitched on. There are seamstresses putting names and numbers and stitching the collar, stitching of the names in the collar, they’re doing it by hand. When you see certain placements, you have [something] unique. They’re not doing it the same two times in a row.”
Ruth’s supposed “called shot” came during the fifth inning of Game 3 in the 1932 World Series — Ruth’s 10th and final Fall Classic — against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. With the score tied 4-4, Ruth stepped to the plate and pointed; whether he intended to point at pitcher Charlie Root, to the Cubs’ dugout or to the outfield remains a matter of historical uncertainty. But on a Root curveball, he clubbed a four-bagger an estimated 440 feet to center (in some reports it balloons to 490), immortalized henceforth as Ruth’s legendary “called shot.”
The 1995 Grey Flannel Auctions listing reads: “Every expert is in agreement that this jersey is authentic and 100% original in every respect […] not one of these experts can definitively say that it is not Babe Ruth’s 1932 World Series jersey.”
Ivy called it a “one-of-a-kind item, the most significant sports collectible that’s ever come up for auction.” He said he wouldn’t be surprised if it exceeds $30 million.
Barry Meisel, MeiGray’s president and COO, said in addition to the photo-matching process, the firm researched how many jerseys the Yankees ordered around that time.
“The Yankees ordered three road grays and three home whites over an entire year and carried one over into the following year,” Meisel said. “And the nuances Spalding put on its company tag, or in the collar of the shirt, you start to determine, ‘Could this have been worn in 1932? Was it worn in 1935?’ Sometimes we say: ‘This is a Babe Ruth jersey, but you can’t focus on a specific event.’ But we’re confident we’ve proven it’s the real deal.”
Montague said photography from Game 3 of the 1932 World Series aligned with nuances of Ruth’s New York Yankees jersey. He pointed out a small notch in the “N” in “NEW YORK” — “almost as if [it] wasn’t completely straight.” The top of the “W,” he said, “had this curve as opposed to a flat edge; other images we saw [from other years] had a flat edge.” The “E,” he said, “had a sort of bend at the bottom.”
This isn’t the first time that photo-matching could increase the potential value of a sports collectible, let alone the first time in recent memory with a Ruth item. In April 2023, a Babe Ruth bat that sold for $400,800 in 2018 resold for $1.85 million, a record for a baseball bat, after “photographic corroboration.”
“MeiGray’s philosophy is every game-worn jersey is like a fingerprint,” Meisel said. “No two fingerprints are alike, we believe no two jerseys are alike when you look at the hand-stitching, the placement of names, numbers, letters on the shirt, where and how the buttons are attached. When you do forensic research with resources that are necessary, actual photos of the shirt, you can make the determinations that we made in this case with the Babe Ruth Called Shot jersey.”
Ivy acknowledged the improbability of the jersey still existing.
“This Ruth jersey had no intrinsic value at the time; it was just a dirty old baseball shirt when Ruth was wearing it in 1932,” he said. “A lot of this stuff was lost to time. Jerseys were sent down to the minor leagues or worn in practice until they fell apart and then were thrown away. The fact that this piece has made it for 90-plus years and it represents one of the most significant moments of not only Babe Ruth’s career but the history of this sport that’s interwoven with the fabric of America, that’s pretty cool.”
The current record for any sports collectible is the $12.6 million spent on the near-perfect 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card in August 2022. The record for any piece of sports memorabilia is the $10.1 million spent on a jersey Michael Jordan wore in Game 1 of the 1998 “Last Dance” NBA Finals.
Ivy said the bidding floor will be $7.5 million, making the Ruth jersey one of the most expensive sports collectibles ever with one bid. He said Heritage Auctions plans to display the jersey at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland in late July along with previews in their New York City and Palm Beach offices in early August, among other promotional plans.
Ivy noted that the great pieces of vintage collectibles have folklore that collectors and fans debate: the printing press/likeness back-and-forth of the T206 Honus Wagner or the water-bound dumping of 1952 Topps Mickey Mantles. Ruth calling or not calling his shot might never be known, but its intrigue lies in that elusiveness.
“That’s what takes this jersey to the next level,” Ivy said. “It’s connected to a great moment in American sports history, not to mention a World Series, and it’s one of the most debated topics in the last 100 years.”
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
When Colorado lined up for the final play of regulation Saturday night against Baylor, the plan called for Travis Hunter, the Buffaloes’ do-it-all star, to serve as … a decoy?
Colorado needed a Hail Mary touchdown to tie the score, and figured Hunter, who had six receptions for 126 yards, would attract the most attention. Hunter would run toward the middle of the end zone, ideally creating a more favorable matchup for LaJohntay Wester, a 5-foot-11, 167-pound wideout.
“We put Travis backside, he’s going to get all the attention, and then LaJohntay’s just going to be there, outside, one-on-one,” Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders said. “They’re not going to think we’re going to throw him the ball because he’s a shorter guy, probably in that situation. So then I roll left, everybody went in the middle of the end zone and I just trusted God. I threw it up to God and God answered the prayer, for sure.”
Sanders’ heave from the Baylor 49-yard line fell to Wester, who wedged between two Bears defenders and dove in the end zone for a touchdown. Colorado went on to win 38-31 in overtime, setting off a storming at Folsom Field and the most dramatic finish under second-year coach Deion Sanders. The Buffs erased three deficits and overcame a 100-yard Baylor kick return touchdown to win their first Big 12 game since returning to the league.
“Great, great, great, great, great, great win,” Deion Sanders said. “The young men were resilient. They never gave up.”
Shedeur Sanders finished with 341 passing yards and touchdown strikes of 58 yards to Omarion Miller just before halftime and 43 yards to Wester as the fourth quarter expired. He led an overtime touchdown drive that culminated with Micah Welch‘s second rushing score.
“That’s why I use the word legendary, and I post it so many times,” Shedeur Sanders said. “That’s the word that I stand by and I live by. Through all the moments, throughout everything, I know, at the end of the day, legendary, that’s what ingrained in me.”
Hunter continued to strengthen his case as a top Heisman Trophy candidate with 130 receiving yards on seven catches, and the game-sealing play on defense in overtime. Baylor’s Dominic Richardson seemed headed for a sure touchdown before Hunter knocked the ball free and it scooted out of the end zone.
Colorado fans stormed the field as officials reviewed the ball, determining the ball was out before Richardson crossed the goal line.
“Shedeur told me to go out there and get the ball once [Colorado] scored, so I told him, ‘I got you,’ and I kept my word,” Hunter said. “I knew I had to tackle. You could see me putting in my mouthpiece late on the play, so I was already ready. I knew they were coming at me. They don’t think I can tackle, so I had to show them.”
On the final snap of regulation, Hunter knew he had to pull Baylor’s defenders in his direction, saying that most Hail Mary plays are 50-50 chances but Colorado’s talented receiving corps increased the odds to 80-20.
“I saw [Sanders] rolling out and then I saw the ball coming my way,” said Wester, who transferred to Colorado this season after a productive career at Florida Atlantic. “As a receiver, your job is to make the quarterback right, whether it’s a good ball or a bad ball. I just made a play on the ball.”
Baylor coach Dave Aranda said the defensive play call on the Hail Mary is “victory cigar,” which includes an up-and-under rush to flush the quarterback toward a contain rusher.
“We went to opposite sides,” Aranda said. “The guy that was up-and-under went away, and the guy that was contain went to the other side, so when you watch that play, you’ll watch someone come from the right and go up and under, well, that’s a shame, because he’s contain.
“I’ve never seen that, and I take full responsibility for that. I have to find a way to coach that better.”
Wester called the postgame atmosphere “a party,” as the celebration went from the field to the Buffaloes’ locker room. Deion Sanders said he regretted the field storm because it prevented him from shaking hands with Aranda, but he praised Colorado fans for their support.
“We have a fan base that’s phenomenal,” Deion Sanders said. “We have some young kids on this campus that love and breath CU football, and I’m thankful.”
Sanders also recognized Colorado’s offensive line, which “always gets ridiculed” but helped the team record three rushing touchdowns. Baylor still recorded eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries.
“I just want everybody to know we can run the ball, and shut up all the haters about it,” Welch said.
But the Bears badly missed a field-goal attempt with 2:16 left that would have given them a 10-point lead and Shedeur Sanders and Colorado ultimately capitalized.
“It kind of threw us back to last year a little bit, didn’t it? Like that nostalgia, that’s the way stuff was starting last year,” said Deion Sanders, referring to Colorado’s 3-0 start to his tenure. “I’m like, ‘Man, I’m going gray, what you trying to do to me, fellas?’ It was a tough one. This press conference could be totally different right now, but I’m excited that we won.”
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Max Olson, ESPN Staff Writer
AUSTIN, Texas — Arch Manning threw for 258 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in his first career start at Texas, leading a 51-3 win over UL Monroe in relief of injured starter Quinn Ewers to push the No. 1 Longhorns to 4-0.
After throwing an interception on his first possession, Manning settled in, and Texas scored touchdowns on six of his 10 drives for a 44-3 lead when he left the game early in the fourth quarter. The redshirt freshman competed 15 of his 29 pass attempts.
Manning said there were several throws he’d like back, starting with his first interception, a second-down throw under pressure that ULM defensive back Carl Fauntroy snagged three minutes into the game. When asked how he’d grade his performance, Manning said, “Probably a C-plus, but a win’s a win.”
“To think he was going to come out and play a perfect game, I don’t think anybody in here thought that,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “I thought he was going to prepare really well, work really hard, do everything he could to play good football. He was gonna have some lessons learned, and I think that’s what tonight was about.”
In the Longhorns’ first game as the No. 1-ranked team in the AP Top 25 since 2008, Manning received plenty of help. Running back Jaydon Blue rushed for 124 yards and scored four total touchdowns, and Texas’ defense held General Booty and the Warhawks (2-1) to 111 total yards on 2.2 yards per play.
Sarkisian said the game plan called for Manning to be aggressive in taking deep shots against ULM’s defense, and the former five-star recruit had some success with eight passes of 15 or more yards, including a 56-yard completion to Isaiah Bond and a 46-yarder to Matthew Golden. Manning connected with 11 receivers on the night.
“Having so many playmakers around you, it definitely brings up the comfort level for me,” he said. “We got a bunch of different receivers catch balls tonight. Just getting them in space and having them make plays is huge.”
Ewers exited Texas’ 56-7 win over UTSA last week after suffering an oblique strain. His status is considered day-to-day, and he could potentially return for the Longhorns’ SEC debut against Mississippi State next week. Manning shared SEC Freshman of the Week honors after producing 276 total yards and five touchdowns against UTSA in Ewers’ absence.
After their first SEC conference game at home against Mississippi State, the Longhorns have an idle week followed by showdowns with No. 15 Oklahoma and No. 2 Georgia in consecutive weeks.
A Texas team with national championship ambitions has played up to those expectations through four games, outscoring its opponents 190-22 and flexing its muscles in its toughest test with a 31-12 road win against then-No. 10 Michigan. With the Longhorns winning 16 of their past 18 games, Sarkisian is confident he has a team with talent, depth and maturity that’s built to contend in the SEC.
“I’m pleased with where we’re at, but it’s like everything I just told the team: The mission is far from over,” Sarkisian said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do and a lot of great games ahead of us.”
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