1918 Babe Ruth Boston Red Sox PSA Type 1 Original Batting Photograph Used for his 1927 Honey Boy Card & c.1918 M114 Premium - One of Only Three Known Type 1's PSA/DNA

1918 Babe Ruth Boston Red Sox PSA Type 1 Original Batting Photograph Used for his 1927 Honey Boy Card & c.1918 M114 Premium - One of Only Three Known Type 1's PSA/DNA

This is one of the finest known Babe Ruth Boston Red Sox photographs in existence: an original PSA Type 1 batting image from 1918, taken during a period when Ruth was still establishing himself as a hitter in Boston. According to PSA photo expert Henry Yee, only one other example of this exact photo is known, and that copy is in noticeably lesser condition. Ruth batting images from his Red Sox years are rare overall, with roughly 13 documented poses and just six confirmed in Type 1 form. This particular image carries extra significance because it was later used for Ruth's scarce 1927 Honey Boy card and his circa-1918 M114 premium, placing it among a small handful of Type 1 photos tied directly to a known Ruth card issue.

1918 was a turning point in Ruth's career. Still primarily a pitcher, he went 13-9 with a 2.22 ERA and helped Boston win the pennant, but his 11 home runs in just 317 at-bats led the American League and signaled where his future was headed. In the World Series that year, Ruth beat the Cubs twice, including a Game 1 shutout, and extended his scoreless World Series innings streak to 29 2/3, a record that stood until 1961. Boston won the championship, and by 1919 Ruth had shifted almost entirely to hitting, leading the league with 29 homers and 113 RBI. His sale to the Yankees before the 1920 season, famously tied to financing a Broadway show, triggered Boston's 86-year championship drought.

The photo itself was shot by International News at the Red Sox spring training site in Hot Springs, Arkansas. At 6-1/8" x 8", it shows remarkable clarity for its age, with only a faint line likely from the original negative and a tiny corner chip. There are no significant creases. Ruth appears in his road Red Sox uniform, mid-swing. The back carries the original International News stamp.

This same image later appeared on 1919 sheet music and an October 1921 Baseball Magazine cover, in addition to its use on the Honey Boy card and M114 premium. Photos of this caliber, tied to significant early Ruth card issues, routinely bring six-figure prices and continue to bring World Record Prices when they pop up into the collectibles market!

FULL LOA from PSA/DNA authenticating this photograph as an original TYPE I Photo (in addition to being encapsulated as a TYPE I photo by PSA).

**NOT FOR SALE**