Babe Ruth's Iconic Jersey Sells for Record $24M

A legendary piece of sports memorabilia, the jersey Babe Ruth wore during his iconic "called shot" in the 1932 World Series, has sold for a staggering $24.12 million at an auction in Dallas. This record-breaking sale, which turned into a 6-hour bidding war, has surpassed the $12.6 million paid for Mickey Mantle's 1952 rookie card last year. The buyer has chosen to remain anonymous, according to Heritage Auctions.

Chris Ivy, Heritage's director of sports, hailed the jersey as "the most significant piece of American sports memorabilia ever offered at auction." Ruth's historic gesture—he made a pointing motion during a tense Game 3 against the Chicago Cubs and then hit a home run—stands as one of the most dramatic moments in baseball history.

The jersey's journey began in the 1940s when Ruth gifted it to a golfing friend; the item remained with that family until the early '90s. It was sold a few times, including a notable sale in 2005 for $940,000, before being consigned to Heritage this year. Debate continues over Ruth's "called shot," but Michael Gibbons, director emeritus and historian at the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore, insists, "…Ruth himself said he'd called the shot." This sale cements Ruth's enduring impact as "the standard-bearer for all of Major League Baseball." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)