• AUCTION
• MY ACCOUNT
• HISTORY
• CONSIGN
• EVENTS
• ABOUT US
• RULES/FAQ

That this ball was signed by Ruth and Gehrig assures its lofty stature in our industry. This one, however, has a special legacy. It's accompanied by a letter signed by a certain Martin R. Bialow who was long a physician managing the care of Alan Gould. Readers may recall that Mr. Gould served over four decades as Executive Director for the Associated Press. In that capacity, he mingled routinely in the midst of the sporting world's rich-and-famous - among them, most certainly, Babe Ruth.
The 1927 season, of course, is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Yankee might, and its indomitable presence was marshalled by Ruth and Gehrig. In the course of one game during the '27 World Series, Gould actually made an appearance in the Yankee dugout where Ruth welcomed the noted journalist, giving him this game-used ball. Forthwith, Alan summoned several autographs to adorn its surface (shortly to include a couple stars from the opposing Pittsburgh Pirates).

In the letter attending this signed ball, Dr. Bialow attests that "This baseball was given to me in 1987 by a patient, Alan Gould, who had been Sports Editor of The Associated Press in New York City. He was 95 at the time and gave me the ball in appreciation for my devoted medical care..."

And the letter continues, "Alan was a personal friend of Babe Ruth with whom he often played golf during the Yankees Spring Training period in St. Petersburg, Florida. Mr. Gould told me that he was at one of the 1927 World Series games in New York between the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates and went down to the dugout to visit. At that time, Babe Ruth gave him one of the balls used in the game and Alan had it autographed..."

Indeed, it is autographed..."Babe" Ruth ("5-6", exclusively on the sweet spot), and Lou Gehrig ("5") on the north panel. Elsewhere we find the weaker (but distinctly legible) pennings of Paul Waner and Lloyd Waner. On one of the panels there's a notation declaring "World Series 1927," and there are several other writings on the ball's surface, but most of them too obscure for absolute identification. The ball is an ONL that's in delightfully reduced condition (primarily as a function of soiling and surface abrasions), having served duty on the field of that World Series.

Ultimately, this signed memento of 1927 is of unique and profound import. The ball itself is a relic for the ages, and its autographs, in turn, vault it to the finest glory. LOA from PSA DNA.  This lot is subject to a reserve.