Babe Ruth + Lou Gehrig Signed Baseball

The Babe Ruth + Lou Gehrig Signed Baseball is one of the Holy Grails of baseball memorabilia world. All avid sports collectors covet a ball signed by these two icons, who dominated the national pastime in the 1920s and 1930s. Only these two icons have penned their names on this vintage baseball.

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were by far the most feared back-to-back hitters in the game, Ruth batting third and Gehrig directly behind batting in the cleanup spot. However, their personalities could not be more different, Ruth friendly, gregarious and an accommodating signer. Gehrig, while affable, nonetheless introverted and generally reluctant to sign his name for a fan.

Ruth has penned his classic, flamboyant signature in fountain pen across the "sweet spot." That was Ruth's customary place to sign any baseball. That area always was reserved for him. After all, he is generally regarded as the one who saved baseball after the 1919 World Series betting scandal. It was said that he forced people to watch baseball again; they simply had to watch this bigger-than-life person hit baseballs a country mile.

Gehrig's large and eloquent autograph stands by itself on a panel where it generally resided. He never signed the sweet spot so long as Ruth was on his team. After 1934 and Ruth's release from the Yankees, he began signing the sweet spot — he was now the "lone star" of the team.

The signatures are featured on a baseball featuring the official Nat Strong stamp. A baseball executive by trade, Nat Strong hosted baseball tours during the offseason so players could earn some extra money when the season ended. Naturally, the best players would attract the most fans, and Ruth and Gehrig were the centerpieces for Strong’s barnstorming tours. In fact, each slugger had his own team: the Bustin’ Babes and Laruppin’ Lou’s.