If you are interested in owning a piece of Babe Ruth history and have around $1 million in disposable cash you are in luck. The catcher’s mitt dates back to 1912 when Ruth was playing catcher for his high school, St. Mary’s High School in Baltimore in 1912. He gave the glove to a kid who’s family has held on to the glove for over 100 years. In 1993 they loaned it to the Babe Ruth Museum where it has been on display for the past 23 years but the family has now decided it is time to sell the glove.
According to TMZ Sports the auction is being run
by Goldin Auctions on April 30th in New York City, the opening bid
is $125,000 but is expected to top the $1 million mark easily.
There are some
collectibles that I am ok with companies purchasing and cutting up to include
as relics in cards. Anything modern is fine as long as it is not a milestone
item, most items dating back in to the early 1900s is also ok within reason but
once we start talking about a one-of-a-kind item like this mitt or Joe Jackson’s
Black Betsy, these items need to remain complete and in a collection, even a
museum is possible. I am really hoping this card goes to a collector or a museum
and not in to the hands of card company.
I can't imagine Topps buying this to cut it up. And even if they did... they would probably throw it in a vault. Then cut up some flea market glove, add a vague COA with no guarantees, place an image of Babe Ruth on the card, and let collectors think they were getting a piece of history.
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