Babe Ruth’s legendary “called shot” jersey shatters auction records

Nearly a century after Babe Ruth called his shot during the 1932 World Series, the jersey worn by the New York Yankees slugger when he hit the home run to centre field has broken auction records.

The jersey went up for sale at Heritage Auctions in Dallas and sold for a staggering $24.1m (€21.5m), making it the most expensive sports collectible to ever be sold at auction.

Ruth’s famed, debated and often imitated “called shot” came as the Yankees and Chicago Cubs faced off in Game 3 of the World Series at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on 1 October 1932.

In the fifth inning, Ruth made a pointing gesture while at bat and then hit the home run off Cubs pitcher Charlie Root. The Yankees won the game 7-5, and swept the Cubs the next day to win the series.

That was Ruth’s last World Series, and the “called shot” was his last home run in a World Series, said Mike Provenzale, the production manager for Heritage’s sports department.

The previous record for sports memorabilia was set in 2022 when a rare mint condition 1952 Topps baseball card of Mickey Mantle sold for €11.6 million.

The highest price ever paid for a jersey at auction was also in 2022, when a Michael Jordan jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals fetched approximately €9 million.

Video editor • Theo Farrant