The prototype of the modern superstar, George Herman "Babe" Ruth was an American original, baseball’s first great slugger and the most celebrated athlete of all-time. Ruth’s unparalleled feats on the field were only equaled by his enormous charisma, and appetite for life away from it. His abilities and personality made him a tremendous drawing card throughout the league and by far the highest-paid player of his era.
As the National Game was rocked by the revelation of the 1919 World Series fix, the future of the sport was in jeopardy. The emergence of the dynamic Ruth and his slugging exploits would lift the game from its ugly depths and restore America's National Pastime. He was the first player to hit 30, 40, 50, and 60 home runs in a big league season, and his slugging style forever changed the way baseball was played. Babe Ruth is also credited with the invention of the modern baseball bat. He was the first player to order a bat with a knob on the end of the handle. Louisville Slugger produced the revolutionary style bat, which he then used to hit 29 home runs in 1919.
This is a game used Babe Ruth Hillerich & Bradsby professional model 125 bat that dates from the most pivotal era in his career. Based on factory records, the bat's service coincided with Ruth’s transition from Boston to New York, and his meteoric rise to the top of the sports world. Measuring a “Ruthian” 35 ¾” in length and weighing 43.8 oz., the uncracked bat shows outstanding evidence of game use including numerous ball marks and cleat marks. Lathe marks appear at both ends, and the burned in markings are strong. Made of the finest quality ash, the bat retains rich color, giving it a look and feel that reaches back to the golden years of baseball, when Ruth claimed his throne as King of the Diamond.
LOAs from John Taube of PSA/DNA (GU8.5) and MEARS (A9.5).