This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/28/2019
Perhaps Babe Ruth's youthful qualities as an American icon could be attributed to the fact that he was all but denied a normal childhood of his own. The son of a Baltimore saloon owner, young Ruth was often left unattended to develop patterns of behavior that were deemed "incorrigible." Orphaned at the age of seven, Ruth was to spend 12 years at St. Mary's reform school, during which time rarely saw his parents. Eventually, his raw baseball talent and physical size (Ruth grew to be 6-foot-2, 215 pounds) made him a star too bright for Baltimore Orioles scout Jack Dunn not to notice. Signed to a contract with the O's (a Boston Red Sox Minor League affiliate at the time), Ruth was dubbed "Jack's newest babe." Five months later, Ruth's contract was purchased by the parent club and the rest is home run history. As Ruth ascended to the highest heights of fame and fortune, he never forgot his humble roots, and maintained a deep affection for children.
The offered ball, signed and inscribed by the eventual Hall of Famer is a fabulous token of inspiration bestowed by the Babe to one of his many young worshipers. This medium-toned OAL (Harridge) ball is inscribed "To Ben Sattler a "Coming” Big Leaguer From Babe Ruth – 6-1-47" in black ink on a side panel. Ruth’s writing rates 7-8/10 in boldness. The overall aesthetic quality combined with the rare and charming salutation make this a wonderful baseball heirloom from the game's most prolific figure. Full LOA from PSA/DNA.