Once again, a Babe Ruth bat becomes a big hit at a private auction. Hunt Auctions is cashing in on a $1.85 million sale.
On Wednesday, private auctioneering company Hunt Auctions announced the highest-value sale of a baseball bat. The bat of Babe Ruth with the nickname “Polo Grounds” bat, registers a $1.85 million value. This Polo Grounds bat, in use during the early 1920’s, breaks a previous Ruth record of a bat selling for $1.68 million at auction in August of 2022.
And, according to ESPN, this bat instantly became a hot commodity amongst potential buyers and baseball memorabilia collectors. The bat is corresponding to a 1921 photo of Ruth swinging for the New York Yankees at the Polo Grounds.
Details About the Polo Grounds Bat of Babe Ruth
The bat earned its Polo Grounds nickname because that’s where the Yankees played their home contests until 1922. And it’s also heavier than most of the bats people would see in today’s MLB. An average bat weighs about 32 ounces. Comparatively, this Polo Grounds clocks in at a whopping 44.5 ounces. That’s almost a full pound heavier than a standard bat today. The bat was manufactured by Hillerich & Bradsby Co., the operator of the famous Louisville Slugger brand of bats. The bat also led the Babe in the 1921 season to set a then-record for home runs (59) in a single season and career home runs (139).
Ruth, of course, was one of the first modern superstars because of all the home runs he hit. Following the Dead Ball Era when very few batted balls left the park, Ruth’s many round-trippers were a revelation. He led the league in homers 12 times in his career, including four of the first five years of the Live Ball Era. His 59 home runs in 1921 beat his own record of 54 in 1920.
The Polo Grounds is also one of the most renowned stadiums in baseball history. In addition to hosting the Yankees, the New York Giants played there for over 60 years before moving to San Francisco. The New York Mets also called the Grounds home during their first two seasons, including the historically bad 1962 expansion team. The stadium had a unique shape and dimensions, with extremely short porches in right field and left field, but also an extremely deep center field. The fly ball resulting in Willie Mays’ famous over-the-shoulder catch would be in the seats at MLB parks today.
Babe Makes Big Money at Auctions
This isn’t the first time, however, that the Babe has fetched big money at auction for his memorabilia. Ruth has the most expensive jersey at auction, which sold for $5.64 million in summer 2019, and the highest-value baseball glove at $1.53 million, which sold in November 2022. “It is without surprise that the Babe has once again pushed yet another sports memorabilia category to record pricing territory,” Hunt Auctions president David Hunt told ESPN. “This baseball bat is as close to a work of art as the medium can allow.”
The sale price is even more impressive when taking recent history in consideration. Aaron Judge’s AL record home run ball sold for “only” $1.5 million in December 2022.
Final Thoughts on Babe Ruth Polo Grounds Bat
So, it’s not really anything new to see something of Babe Ruth fetch a high price tag. And with sports collectors looking for high-value items to add to their collection, any old-school memorabilia will be a generational addition to discuss. With the Polo Grounds bat breaking a record, it’s clear to see the Babe’s effect on sports history and auction history.
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