Babe Ruth jersey breaks world record for sports item at auction
NEW YORK—A jersey belonging to American baseball legend Babe Ruth broke the world record Thursday for most expensive sports object sold at auction—and the sale has not even ended yet.
The highest bid for the New York Yankees jersey currently stands at $13.3 million, including commission and fees.
However, the sale will not end until August 24, according to organizer Heritage Auctions, with experts estimating the bidding could soar to as much as $30 million.
Heritage told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the owner could still set a minimum price higher than the current highest bid, though it would run the risk of not selling the item at all.
As it stands, the jersey already exceeds all previous records for sports memorabilia set in recent years.
The previous record was for a baseball card featuring another Yankees great, Mickey Mantle, which sold for $12.6 million in August 2022.
Topping MJ’s gear
In terms of sports apparel, the highest auction record was set in September 2022 when a jersey worn by basketball player Michael Jordan during Game 1 of the 1998 NBA finals sold for $10.1 million at Sotheby’s.
Prior to 2022, no sports item had ever passed the $10 million threshold, a sign of the market’s increasing power.
Ruth’s record-breaking jersey was worn by the Yankees slugger during a historic game against the Chicago Cubs during the 1932 World Series.
The story of the famous “called shot” goes that Ruth pointed in the direction of where he wanted the ball to go and proceeded to hit a home run in the exact direction.
The Yankees would go on to win the series in a four-game sweep.
