Baseball legend Babe Ruth visited Spokane in 1924. Approximately 1,700 fans gathered at the old Natatorium Park to watch an exhibition game. This stop in the Northwest was just one of many during Babe Ruth’s barnstorming tour.
Recently, one of the baseballs that Babe Ruth signed at the event was put up for auction. A Spokane resident had taken great care of it, storing it in a safety deposit box for more than 50 years. This well-preserved baseball had been tucked away until it was recently auctioned off and sold for $35,000.
Babe Ruth-signed ball auctioned after 50 years
Grant Zahajko, who co-owns Grant Zahajko Auctions in Davenport, was the one who auctioned off that baseball. He mentioned that he had never come across a Babe Ruth item quite like this before.
Zahajko stated that approximately six months before, the owner of the Babe Ruth-signed ball visited the safety deposit box to retrieve it. They took out the baseball, and according to him, it appeared as if it had been signed just yesterday.
Zahajko clarified that Babe Ruth autographed numerous items throughout his career. However, he emphasized that he had never come across a baseball that was nearly a century old and still in such perfect condition.
The live auction occurred on Thursday morning, but the ball did not receive the minimum bid of $40,000. Zahajko mentioned that they received offers after the auction concluded, and eventually, the ball was sold for $35,000.
On Thursday, the ball was purchased for $35,000 by a collector from outside the local area. There is no information available regarding the collector’s intentions for the ball.
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