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1915 Babe Ruth Original Rookie Photograph by G.T. Murray Studios, PSA/DNA Type 1....
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Sold on Feb 28, 2026 for:
$585,600.00
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Description
One of the very earliest Major League photographs of the sport's greatest figure!
1915 Babe Ruth Original Rookie Photograph by G.T. Murray
Studios, PSA/DNA Type 1. A grouping of forty-one photos from
the personal collection of contemporary Red Sox owner Joseph Lannin
that entered the hobby some years ago contained a snapshot-sized
example of this photograph and, by virtue of the other images that
accompanied it, assured that this glorious early portrait of the
Babe derives from the Red Sox' 1915 visit to Hot Springs, Arkansas
for spring training. Ruth's Major League career was four games old
at that point, with twenty-three innings on the mound and two base
hits at the plate, neither a home run.With photographs from that blink-and-you'll-miss-it service to the 1914 edition of the BoSox virtually unknown, this 1915 preseason image is one of a literal handful of Ruth photos in a Major League uniform that predate his first round-tripper, launched on May 6, 1915. While this distinction alone would be enough to elicit roars of approval from the advanced vintage baseball photography crowd, the offered specimen provides both the classic Dead Ball Era pitcher's pose and spectacular clarity to amplify its appeal. We also love that "G.T. Murray, Boston" studio logo at lower right, hammering home the point that this is the Babe with the team he'd famously "curse" upon his trade to the Yankees in 1920. An ink stamp from the studio likewise appears on verso along with a faint pencil notation reading "Pretty," presumably a commentary on Ruth's pitching form.
Dimensions are 8x6". Close inspection reveals four vertical creases suggesting the photo was once rolled and lightly compressed, but our online imagery should confirm how these faults virtually disappear at a reasonable viewing distance.
The photo derives from the personal collection of George Whiteman, who played twenty-five seasons of professional baseball inclusive of three brief stints in the Bigs--four games with the 1907 Red Sox, eleven games with the 1913 Yankees and seventy-one games with the 1918 Boston Red Sox, as well as all six games of the Fall Classic that would supply New England with the last World Championship for eighty six years to come. Whiteman and Ruth shared left field duties during the Series, the former walking off a Big League field for the last time as the Babe replaced him in the top of the eighth inning of the sixth and final game. Encapsulated by PSA/DNA, Type 1.
Best-In-Class Expert Analysis/Summary:
Of all the categories of Type I photos, debuts and rookie-season images remain among the most popular with collectors. As with other collectibles like cards, jerseys, and tickets, there is something about capturing a player at the beginning, before they became an established star. In 1915, Babe Ruth was just getting started as a young pitching prospect with the Boston Red Sox, and this photo was snapped long before the "Swat" side of the legend was born. While Ruth did make his debut the previous year, this represented his first full season in the big leagues.
In 1915, Ruth made an immediate impact, going 18-8 with an ERA of 2.44 and 16 complete games. He would get even better in 1916, quickly becoming one of the best pitchers in baseball before the tough decision to transition Ruth to a full-time position in the outfield had to be made a few years later, with the absence of a DH at that time. This rookie photo, taken by G. T. Murray Studios, captures Ruth in a complete follow-through after releasing the ball, a classic pose of the period.
Part of what makes this image so appealing is that, although it is an action shot of Ruth in uniform, his face is crystal clear due to the angle and lighting as he faces the camera. Furthermore, Ruth's full-body image fills the interior. The image is so ideal that it would have made for an outstanding baseball card in its day had it been used. Additionally, the photo retains terrific eye appeal despite some surface creasing along the front, which blends into the background to some extent when viewed at a short distance. From its scarcity to its rookie-season designation to its superb aesthetics, this photo earned our Best-In-Class designation.
View Best-In-Class Certification Details
Auction Info
2026 February 28 - March 1 Winter Platinum Night Sports Catalog Auction #50083 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
Feb-Mar, 2026
28th-1st
Saturday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 38
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 2,518
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
22% of the successful bid per lot.
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