Hold On To That Old Sports Memorabilia

From the December 23, 2018, Chicago Tribune advertisement of Heritage Auctions who was to have an auction February 23-24, 2019.

They showed what five earlier auction items had sold for.

**1908 Chicago Cubs World Series Championship Last Out Baseball     Sold for $119,500.

**  1964 Mickey Mantle World Series Home Run Record Setting Game Worn New York Yankees Jersey.    Sold for $1,320,000

**  1970 Dick Butkus Game Worn Chicago Bears Jersey, MEARS A10.    Sold for $1,320,000

**  1948 Original Study for "Tough Call" by Norman Rockwell.  Gifted to Legendary Umpire "Beans" Reardon.    Sold for $1,680,000    (The one with the umpires gathered and checking the rain.)

**  1916 M101-5 Blank Back Sporting News Babe Ruth Rookie #151 PSA NM 7.    Sold for $717,000  (Shown, of course, as a pitcher for the Red Sox.)

And My Mom Threw Out All My Old Baseball Cards.  --CootCard

The Babe's Baseball North Carolina Connection

Not only did Babe Ruth hunt in North Carolina, but also he definitely had  a baseball connection with the state.

Fayetteville is where he hit his first professional home run while playing in the minor leagues.  It is also where he was given the nickname that stuck with him the rest of his life, the "Babe."

A "Babe" By Any Other Name Would Still Be the "Babe."  --Cooter

The Babe and Mrs. Ruth in Goldsboro, NC-- Part 2

"'We are taking back almost a car load of game in a refrigerator car out there.  Game that Babe, Bud Fisher and some of Babe's friends killed, and my duck is in the lot,' explainedMrs. Ruth in a soft southern voice.  She was born in Georgia.  "I tyhink I'll have it mounted by a taxidermist, and labeled 'killed by Mrs. George Herman Ruth at Davis, N.C. and give the date.'  Don't you think  that would be a good idea?

"I'm sure it would,' said the Babe.  'I had her in the blinds with me all day, and she held up pretty well.  It's rained ever since she got down here though, and I believe she  brought the rain with her.'

"Ruth, off a few pounds from what he was his last visit to Goldsboro, said he was going to begin indoor training in earnest when he gets back to New York.

"Goldsboro people and admirers of the Bambino  trooped in and out continuously to shake his hand.  Miss Hazel Nasekos presented Mrs. Ruth with a box of flowers."

Mrs. Ruth here was the Babe's second wife, Claire Merritt from Athens, Georgia.

So, the Babe was popular in North Carolina and bit heavier during the off season.

A Chance to Meet the Babe.  --DaCoot

The Babe and the Mrs.Ruth in Goldsboro, NC-- Part 1

From the March 30, 2014, Goldsboro (NC) News-Argus "Mighty dogs and hunters of bygone days" by Sherwood Owl Williford,

Seventy-three years ago a famous hunter passed through Goldsboro en route to his favorite hunting grounds at Camp Bryan near New Bern.  That man, of course was none other than George Herman Ruth, better known as "Babe."

The following is a 1932 News-Argus story about him and his wife, "Mrs. Babe."  The artricle was written after the hunt when they were waiting for a northbound train.

"DEMURE BRUNETTE TELLS OF BAGGING A DUCK:  Goldsboro got its first look at Mrs. George Herman Ruth Tuesday night, and liked her.  Numbers of times Goldsboro has seen the Yankee slugger himself going to and from Camp Bryan near New Bern on his annual hunting trips, but it was the first time that Mrs. Ruth had accompanied her famous husband.

"Arriving from New Bern the couple had supper at Williams Cafe, greeted scores of Ruth fans and departed for New York on the 9:45 train.  Mrs. Ruth, a demure brunette with a saucy red hat, confessed that she got only one duck in a day's hunting with her husband while the babe, whose shooting eyes are as good as his hitting eyes, was getting the limit,"

More to Come.  --Cooter

American Artifacts

From the Nov. 10, 2013, Parade Magazine.

The Smithsonian has a new book "History of America in 101 Objects" which looks to give fresh facts about our national treasures. Here are four of them:

1. LOUIS ARMSTRONG called his trumpet by his own nickname: "Satchmo." In case you're wondering, "Satchmo" is shortened from "Satchel Mouth."

2. Black and red stitches on the baseball signed by BABE RUTH means that the ball was used in the National League.

3. Restoring the flag that inspired "THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER" cost the Smithsonian a whopping $58 million. Money well-worth spending.

4. The HOPE DIAMOND was once rumored to carry a curse. Find out why at www.parade.com/diamond.
I May Have to Get a Copy of This Book. --Cooter