Baseball memorabilia doesn’t get much more exclusive than this. Babe Ruth’s 1923 World Series championship pocket watch is heading to auction in New York next month. Experts predict the watch will sell for at least $750,000 – and won’t be shocked to see the price go over $1 million.
In the 1923 World Series, Ruth batted batted .368 and smashed three homers as the Yankees won the championship in six game, defeating their cross town rival, the New York Giants. Instead of ring, the Yankees gave their players a pocket watch.
The Gruen Verithin watch features the engraving of a pitcher, hitter, catcher, a ball in flight and the words ‘Yankees’ and ‘World Champions 1923.’
The pentagonal 14-karat gold timepiece was given by Ruth to his friend, Charles Schwefel, shortly before his death in 1948. A few years later, Schwefel’s wife gave the watch to her nephew, who had frequently been Ruth’s golf caddy. It was then sold to a private sports memorabilia collector in 1988 for $200,000, who has had it since.
Ruth had his named engraved on it, and when he passed it on to Schwefel, he added a special inscription: ‘To My Pal Charles Schwefel.’
Ruth is considered by many to the greatest player to ever play the game. He hit 714 home runs and batted .342 in his career.