Ruth wore the record-breaking jersey during the historic 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs.
A jersey worn by baseball legend Babe Ruth broke the record for the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold at auction, selling for a staggering $24.1 million on Sunday.
The New York Yankees jersey, which was auctioned online for several weeks, was expected to surpass the previous record of $12.6 million paid for a Mickey Mantle baseball card in August 2022.
Prior to 2022, no piece of sports memorabilia had ever crossed the iconic $10 million threshold, but that year both a Mantle card and a jersey worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan crossed the threshold.
Also known as “The Bambino,” Ruth wore the record-breaking uniform during a historic game against the Chicago Cubs in the 1932 World Series, where Ruth was taunted by the opposing team and reportedly gestured toward the center field stands before hitting the next pitch for a home run.
The Yankees won both the game and the World Series, the final championship of Ruth's illustrious career.
A few years after his retirement, Ruth gave the jersey to a golfing buddy, and since then it has changed hands three times, most recently selling for $940,000 in 2005.
Priceless Play: The Most Expensive Sports Memorabilia Ever Sold
The world of sports memorabilia is filled with items that have sold for astronomical prices. Here are some of the most expensive sports memorabilia ever sold.
- Diego Maradona's “Hand of God” jersey – Sold for $9.3 million in 2022, this jersey was worn by Maradona in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England, where he scored both the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century.”
- Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals jersey – This jersey worn in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals, also known as “The Last Dance,” sold for $10.1 million in 2022, becoming the most expensive piece of basketball memorabilia ever sold.
- Olympic Declaration – This historic document that laid the foundations for the modern Olympic Games was sold for $8.8 million in 2019. It was written by Pierre de Coubertin in 1892.
Additional source: AFP
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