Circa 1915 Babe Ruth Original G.T. Murray Studios Rookie Photograph PSA/DNA Type I - One of the Earliest Known Major League Images of Ruth!

Exceedingly rare original photograph of Babe Ruth as a member of the Boston Red Sox dating from his 1915 rookie season. Encapsulated and certified as an original Type I photograph by PSA/DNA. This historic image, produced by Boston photographer G. T. Murray, is one of the earliest known Major League photos of Babe Ruth. While the photo itself is undated, it can be definitively dated to spring training of 1915. This particular photo was one of 41 similar photos originating from the estate of former Boston Red Sox president Joseph Lanin, all of which were taken in 1915 at the club's spring training facility in Hot Springs, Arkansas. (There were two other photos of Ruth in the collection, one at bat and the other posing with teammates.) Ruth, who is pictured in uniform as he warms up on the field, was only twenty years old at the time and his svelte appearance stands in stark contrast to his latter-day proportions. While there are many photos of Ruth prior to 1915, this particular photo is believed to be one of the first ever taken of him as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Ruth was purchased by Boston in July 1914; however, his stay in the Majors was short. Ruth appeared only in four games for the club before being sent down (on August 5th) to the minors for more seasoning. He did not rejoin the Red Sox until spring training of 1915. We are aware of only a single photo of Ruth taken during his short one-month stay with Boston in 1914, so this historic image, taken during spring training in 1915, is without a doubt one of the earliest examples picturing him as a Major League player. Ruth began his Major League career as a pitcher, compiling an 18-6 record in 1915. Despite his dominance on the mound that year, it was his performance at the plate that was noteworthy. In a foreshadowing of things to come, Ruth batted .315 with a team-high four home runs (the league leader had seven) and twenty-one RBI in only ninety-two at bats. If those numbers were prorated over the course of a full season, Ruth would have had nearly twenty-four home runs and 126 RBI. Obviously, changes would soon be in the works. Just five years later, the young man in this captivating photo would become the greatest star the game has ever known and the most famous athlete of the twentieth century. The photograph (3 x 3.25 inches) is exceptional in all respects, with flawless clarity and contrast. Every detail, including Ruth's facial features, is perfectly captured. Excellent to Mint condition. This is an extraordinary and very historically significant museum-quality original photograph capturing the legendary "Sultan of Swat" during his rookie season with Boston. As a point of reference, two similar examples of this image (although larger in size both were cropped much tighter), which did not include teammate Ernie Shore (two-time World Series champion) in the background (as seen here), were sold at public auction in 2023 for $468,000 and 2026 for $585,600, respectively. Although in lesser condition, the second example realized more than $117,000 three years later, which points to the continuing demand for Ruth photographs dating from his rookie year. According to Henry Yee, Principal Authenticator at PSA/DNA, "this G. T. Murray shot is the earliest certified Type 1 photo of Babe Ruth pitching." This full-frame, uncropped image is presented in its very purest and untouched state. There appears to be no one in sports who presents a greater investment value than Babe Ruth, judging by the tremendous Ruth-oriented sales that have taken place recently.  This includes his M101-4/5 card selling multiple times in the $2-3 million range for high grade examples, his 1914 Baltimore News Rookie card graded SGC VG 3 selling for $7.2 million in 2023, and his 1932 World Series "Called Shot" jersey that sold in 2024 for $24.1 million. Almost everything related to Babe Ruth keeps soaring in value as the years go on. This original photograph is, without a doubt, one of the most significant Ruth photographs ever to be offered publicly. A museum-worthy piece that may never again be available for consideration!