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BASEBALL BAT
DATING GUIDE |
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1947 American Legion starts
in Missoula, Montana |
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| July 1947 |
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Babe Ruth American Legion Junior Baseball Tour
Facsimile Autograph Photo |
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Babe Ruth Premium Photo |
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Item Details |
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CIRCA
- 1947-1948
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MANUFACTURER
- American Legion
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SIZE
- 5" x
7"
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PRICE GUIDE
-
$100.-$200.
Excellent - Near
Mint condition
Because of rarity
and the lack of a
sales history,
value is estimated
based on past
auction and sales
of Babe Ruth photos
with similar
history.
Information
Provided by:
Keymancollectibles.com
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This extremely rare and
previously un-cataloged "Babe Ruth
premium photo" can be connected to Ruth's nation-wide
American Legion Junior Baseball tour In
1947. The Ford Motor Company sponsored
the tournament while dealers supplied
uniforms for local teams. Babe Ruth was
signed on as a consultant and director
of operations. Despite being diagnosed
with cancer Ruth traveled more than
40,000 miles for personal appearances
in promoting junior Legion ball. His
illness forced him to make an
occasional stop to the hospital in
between cities, where he would speak to
the young ballplayers at dinners and
luncheons.
The 5"x7" black & white photo picturing Babe Ruth, has his facsimile
autograph in the upper left corner. It
was found in "Grandpa's scrapbook" at
an estate sale near
Missoula. Montana.
The back of the photo is dated to 1947.
The three-team sectional play-offs of
the American Legion Junior baseball
tournament started on August 21, 1947,
in Billings, Montana. The winner would
gain a western berth in the National
finals held in Los Angeles. Missoula,
Butte, both had American Legion teams,
and I-90 runs through both towns which
leads to Billings, where the tournament
was being held. Babe Ruth was in
attendance for the tournament.
Grandpa attended the games placing him, and the "Babe" in the same place,
where it is assumed that he received
the photo. On Babe Ruth day held at
Yankees Stadium in April, the Babe was
swarmed by Yankee players, asking for
his autograph. Ruth accommodated
everyone that asked, including Joe
DiMaggio. It was written; "Were it not
for special protection the Babe would
have had his hands full with thousands
of fans who wanted his autograph. If
permitted, the Babe Would gladly have
complied with every wish" Ruth spent 3
weeks in the hospital before the event,
when he was reduced from 257 pounds
when he entered and left at 192 lbs.
Signing autographs was an enjoyment for Ruth but his illness would have
taken too much out of him during the
National tour, and by August the
promoters must have quickly had these
photos made up to give the ailing Ruth
a break from signing autographs. At
each stop Babe Ruth would speak to the
young ballplayers at dinners and
luncheons, and these photos would have
been handed out to ease the workload of
doing an autograph session afterwards.
If the photos were used as a premium, connected to a product, there would be more of
them in the market, and the
promotion would be
widely known. The photo would be of
better quality, not something that
looks like it was quickly put together.
All the photos have the same flaws that
would have been edited out if it was
planned.
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Babe Ruth Premium Photo |
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Back Of American Legion
Junior Baseball Photo |
Babe Ruth in Billings,
Montana
watching the western
tournament |
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KEYMAN COLLECTIBLES
RELATED RESOURCES |
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