This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/20/2011
Babe Ruth signed this red-and-blue stitched Brine's Official League Ball on the sweet spot and Lou Gehrig autographed it on a side panel. The lightly toned ball shows very subtle evidence of gentle handling, not affecting the splendid signatures in any way. Both Ruth's and Gehrig's black fountain pen autographs rate a (9/10). While both signatures display as "singles", the signatures of former Red Sox players Bill Carrigan and Ira Flagstead appear on other side panels. These additional signatures are unseen when viewing Gehrig's autograph, and Carrigan's is peripheral while observing Ruth's. The presence of Carrigan and Flagstead allow us to date this ball circa 1928, as Flagstead played with the Red Sox from 1924 to 1929, and Carrigan managed the Red Sox from 1927 to 1929. Carrigan has an additional significance to Babe Ruth, as he was Ruth's first manager with the Red Sox, from 1914 to 1916. Includes a full LOA from PSA/DNA.