This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/5/2022
In 1935 Babe Ruth returned to the city where it all began for him: Boston. Twenty years earlier Ruth debuted as a left handed pitcher for the Red Sox, then became the greatest power hitter the game had ever seen. Now at the end of his career he returned to Beantown, this time with the Braves. Ruth had agreed to play for the Braves with the understanding he would eventually take over as manager, a goal the Yankees had denied him. Ruth’s return to Boston was covered by all the news outlets who angled to photograph the big man with his new club. After more than a decade of seeing the Babe in the austere pinstripes of the Yankees, it is somewhat disconcerting to see Ruth donning the gaudy red and blue uniform of the Braves.
Shown selecting a bat in front of the Braves dugout, this photo was taken at the very start of the 1935 season when Ruth still had hopes of finishing out his career on a high note. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Soon after the season got underway, Ruth discovered that the Braves never intended for him to become manager and his skills as a ballplayer had eroded faster than he had realized. The Babe’s swansong came on May 25th when he hit three home runs in a game against Pittsburgh, the last of his career. The Type I photo measures 6” x 8-1/2” with crisp edges and shows light toning. The reverse has Wide World and Associated Press stamping as well as the remnants of the original caption paper slug, upon which “Babe Ruth in Boston Braves Dugout” has been handwritten in pencil. A superb photo documenting Babe Ruth’s final season in the game. The photograph has been encapsulated and graded Type I by PSA/DNA.