1st Baseball HOF Program Signed by Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, More Sells for Record $315K
A piece of baseball history sold at a record price on Monday.
Per ESPN's Dan Hajducky, a program from the first National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 1939 sold for more than $315,000 at Lelands Auctions, marking a new record for the most ever paid for a program. The previous record belonged to a 1903 World Series program that sold for $241,500 in 2011.
The program is signed by all 11 living inductees at the time, which includes Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb (who signed the program twice), Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner, Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Grover Alexander, Nap Lajoie, George Sisler, Eddie Collins and Connie Mack. It is believed to be the only program ever signed by all the living inductees present at the event.
According to Hajducky, the consignor's parents were in attendance at the ceremony in 1939, and both purchased a program with the intent to get as many signatures as possible. The consignor's mother received all 11 living inductees' autographs.
The consigner wrote that Cobb, who arrived late to the ceremony, agreed only to sign that program if he could have a kiss.
"She gave him a kiss on the cheek, but as she pulled away, he kissed her," the consignor wrote. "When signing, he said 'Well, since I got two kisses, I'll sign it twice.' Thus the 'Double Ty' signature."
