This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/8/2025
Offered is the earliest version of a professional signature model Babe Ruth bat (1918-21) dating to his time with both the Boston Red Sox and his trade to the New York Yankees. Babe Ruth signed his endorsement contract with Hillerich & Bradsby in 1918 and provided his signature to appear on his professional model bats which he used in games. With the exception of Ty Cobb, no other players had signatures appearing on bats prior to Ruth. With his popularity, the practice of player endorsed bats exploded, and soon more major league stars had signature model bats.
For the time span of 1918-1921, there are zero records or evidence that 125 professional models were supplied to any entity other than the professional leagues. There is no supporting research, firsthand accounts, side written bat examples, ledgers, or any documentation of this bat being a pro stock bat, as noted in the PSA/DNA label. That term does not appear in the H&B player bat records until the 1980s, when Pro Stock bats were made for minor league use or promotional appearance. It is factually inaccurate to classify this bat as Pro Stock without any evidence.
This bat measures 33 1/4” and weighs approximately 35.5 ounces. Ruth was documented as ordering 34 ½ (rare), 35” and 36” bats. Although this bat is considered shorter than documented examples of Ruth bats, there are zero known records of Ruth bat lengths from this 1918-1921 timespan. Authenticators compare bats from this era to 1920s examples with provenance or match references to the post 1930 records which reference 1920s orders, which determined the 34 ½-36” Ruth ordered lengths. Based on the overall evaluation of this bat, MEARS deems this length to be open to consideration for professional use by Ruth.
For this very early, pre 1922 era, bats were often ordered by weight. It is documented in later Ruth personal bat records that he did order 35 ounces bats. Most of his pre 1922 lengths were noted in his records as n/s = non specified. Therefore, MEARS deems the weight of this bat as appropriate for Ruth during the era.
With respect to the 33 1/4” length of this bat, it is documented that Ruth’s contemporaries (pre 1920), Joe Jackson, Tris Speaker, and others used a 33” bat. With double headers, travel by train, and other factors, switching to a shorter bat made sense.
During the 1918-1921 era, Ruth was traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees. He hit 153 homeruns, won a World Series Championship with the 1918 Red Sox, and appeared in his first World Series with the Yankees, 1921.
Bat has heavy game use, and traits which are universally acknowledged as Ruthian, flattened hitting surface on left handed side of the barrel, scored handle (with 6” crack running flush with grain), deadwood on reverse of barrel, and cleat marks. Wood grain is tight, straight ash, also consistent with many examples of high grade Ruth gamers. The George “Babe” Ruth barrel stamping is deep and provides a great contact to the grain of the bat.
Bat was returned to Louisville Slugger by evidence of side writing (no longer visible), and the return shipping label remnant on barrel end.
MEARS (#322445) has graded this bat as MEARS authentic. PSA/DNA Sticker (1B32073) also graded this bat as “authentic” with title and notes “Babe Ruth Pro Stock Model Bat”, and “Babe Ruth Professional Model bat and its player use characteristics, it is our opinion that the bat is authentic as described”. NOTE: copy of the PSA included, original was not provided.
(98X0288)
LOA Troy Kinunen / MEARS