The uniform was worn during the 1938 season. Julien’s says: “Recently, a Babe Ruth New York Yankees road jersey dating from 1928-30 sold for $5.64m*, breaking the record for the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold. The market for celebrity sports items is one of the fastest-growing alternative investment sectors in the auction world.”
Debuting in 1914 for the Boston Red Sox, George Herman ‘Babe’ Ruth (1895-1948) also played for the New York Yankees, then retired in 1935, after a partial season with the Boston Braves. He joined the Dodgers as a first base coach in June 1938. The uniform is estimated at $300,000-500,000.
* The Yankees shirt sold at Hunt Auctions for a hammer price of £4.7m (£3.73m), or premium-inclusive $5.64m (£4.48m), on June 15 in a sale held at Yankee Stadium. It was part of a collection of items put up for sale by Ruth’s family. The estimate was ‘on request’.
