As a new baseball season began in 1947, a special day was set aside to honor former New York Yankee baseball star, Babe Ruth. More than 58,000 fans packed Yankee stadium on April 27th to honor Ruth, with American and National League baseball officials, Catholic Archbishop Francis Cardinal Spellman, and other VIPs in attendance. The ceremony and speeches were piped into all the other baseball parks around the country that day. Ruth was then 12 years retired from active play; a new generation of players had taken the field such as Joe DiMaggio. Still, Ruth had set baseball’s most revered record 20 years earlier – hitting an unheard of 60 home runs in one season. In the intervening years a few players had hit as many as 58 home runs in one season, but no one had broken Ruth’s record. And his career total of 714 home runs appeared to be invincible.
This beautiful, full color, linen postcard of Yankee Stadium was signed by Babe Ruth on Babe Ruth Day, April 27, 1947. The large, bold 2-1/2" Babe Ruth signature in black ink covers the light blue sky in the upper right. "Babe Ruth Day - April 27, 1947" has been neatly written in the white border at bottom left. Part of the message on the reverse reads "Babe signed these cards at the stadium for a few of my friends, It's a souvenir of his big day at the old ball yard - I'm afraid his last appearance there". Postcard is signed "Sincerely Christy". We believe this was sent by either Christy Walsh or his son Christy Walsh Jr.. Postmark date is May 2, 1947 at Grand Central Station. Ruth’s signature rates a strong 9 out of 10. The postcard itself is in great shape with no creases and only modest corner wear, probably from the original mailing. A simply awesome memento from one of the most dramatic days in the history of the Yankees and of baseball itself.
Includes a full LOA from PSA/DNA.