Description:

Babe Ruth
East Providence, RI, [September, 1941]
Fantastic Babe Ruth Signed 1941 Championship Ticket, PSA GEM MT 10!
Signed Ticket/Invitation
A fantastic Babe Ruth signature on the back of a ticket for the "R.I Independent Amateur Softball Championships" held at the Pierce Memorial Stadium in East Providence, Rhode Island, September 2-7, 1941 at which both Ruth and Ted Williams would appear! The pink ticket measures 3.75" x 2.25", and is PSA slabbed to overall dimensions of 4.25" x 7". Graded an impossible-to-get Gem MT 10!! Please see images for condition.

According to the Rhode Island Sports Chronicle: "By 1940 more than 10,000 men and woman took part in softball in Rhode Island. The formation of the Independent Amateur Softball League and the Rhode Island Amateur Softball League with virtually every large manufacturing and business concern sponsoring clubs helped drive the explosion of softball in the state. In the Blackstone Valley, where girls softball got its start, many woman's teams were started. Lindy's Trojans of Cranston won back-to-back state championships in 1940 and 1941. In both seasons they traveled to Detroit for the National Championship tournament accompanied by the state woman's titlists; 1940 Pawtucket Tuberettes and 1941 Darlington Milkmaids."

In September 1941, Pierce Stadium was the site of two baseball-hitting demonstrations organized to increase attendance to the annual softball post-season tournament, one by Babe Ruth on September 2nd and the other by Ted Williams the following day. Softball commissioner of Rhode Island John V. Brady was tasked with increasing attendance to his event and, certain that a bigger-than-life sports celeb was the only surefire means to draw in the crowds, Brady reached out to the two greatest hitters alive.

Brady was as shocked as anybody when both veteran Babe Ruth and new star Ted Williams agreed to appear. The price for Ruth's services was $700. But Williams was hitting .410 as he made his way to the September 2, 1941 appearance on an off-day between meetings with the Senators and Yankees at Fenway, and demanded that he be paid more than Ruth. He got it: $725.

They would appear separately on September 2nd and 3rd at Pierce. Brady recalled, "I had Ruth hit 24 new baseballs and then I had him sign a dozen balls that I gave out to people. Same thing with Ted the following night. And they both signed a lot of autographs for kids."

While Williams' appearance may have been random or whimsical, Providence must have held a special place in Babe Ruth's heart. In 1914 and early in his baseball career, Ruth pitched for the Red Sox minor league team, the Providence Grays, and helped them win the 1914 International League championship.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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    Dimensions:
  • 4.25" x 7"
  • Artist Name:
  • Babe Ruth
  • Medium:
  • Signed Ticket/Invitation

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October 30, 2024 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000