Babe Ruth’s Historic ‘Called Shot’ Jersey Fetches $24 Million in Auction

The jersey that Babe Ruth wore during his legendary “called shot” in the 1932 World Series has been sold at auction for over $24 million. This historic piece of sports memorabilia fetched a record-breaking $24.12 million early Sunday after a bidding war lasting over six hours in Dallas, as reported by Heritage Auctions. The identity of the buyer remains anonymous.

The amount for Ruth’s jersey surpasses the previous record held by fellow Yankee Mickey Mantle’s 1952 rookie card, which sold for $12.6 million in 2022. Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports, described the jersey as “the most significant piece of American sports memorabilia ever offered at auction.” He noted that the spirited bidding made it clear that collectors fully understand the importance of this artifact.

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Ruth’s “called shot” occurred when the New York Yankees faced the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the World Series at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on October 1, 1932. In the fifth inning, Ruth made a pointing gesture while at bat and then hit a home run off Cubs pitcher Charlie Root. Michael Gibbons, Director Emeritus and Historian at the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, considers it “the most dramatic moment in World Series history, and possibly in all of baseball.”

The Yankees went on to win the game 7-5 and swept the Cubs to take the series. This was Ruth’s last appearance in a World Series and his final home run on such a stage.

Mike Provenzale, Heritage’s Sports Department Production Manager, emphasized the collector’s reverence for items tied to iconic figures and their pivotal moments, making Ruth’s jersey a highly sought-after piece. Heritage Auctions revealed that Ruth gave the jersey to a golfing buddy in Florida around 1940. It remained with that family until the early 1990s when it was sold to a collector, later fetching $940,000 at auction in 2005 before entering a private collection.

Debate has persisted over whether Ruth actually called his shot, but Gibbons mentioned home movie footage where Ruth is seen pointing—though it’s unclear if it’s at the pitcher, center field, or the Cubs bench. Gibbons, however, believes Ruth called the shot, based on his history of making bold predictions and his own statements on the matter.

Footage shows Ruth rounding the bases post-home run and gesturing towards the Cubs bench as if to say, “I gotcha.” According to Gibbons, Ruth, considered “the standard-bearer for all of Major League Baseball,” was always a positive figure for the country. “Then he caps it all off by calling his shot,” Gibbons said.