There have been many amazing, game-changing moments during the Major League Baseball World Series. Willie Mays’ game saving over the shoulder catch in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series. Don Larsen’s perfect game in Game 5 of the ’56 World Series. The Miracle Mets winning the ’69 World Series.

Arguably the most iconic, memorable World Series moment happened during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series between the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs when Babe Ruth called his shot. It was the fifth inning, the game was tied at 4-4, Ruth was at the plate. After taking strike one, Ruth called his shot by pointing (it is disputed if he was pointing to centerfield, the pitcher, or the Cubs dugout). He took strike two and pointed again. Down to his last strike, Ruth crushed the next pitch, sending it into the deepest area of centerfield. The Yankees won the game 7-5, then beat the Cubs in the next game for a four-game sweep of the World Series.

That amazing moment in baseball history is still making headlines today. The jersey that the Great Bambino wore when he called his shot just sold for $24,120,000 in Heritage’s Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction on August 23-25, 2024.

The jersey is now the most valuable sports collectible in the world with a sale that was achieved after a bidding war that went on for over six hours. It nearly doubled the previous record for most valuable sports collectible which was a Mickey Mantle rookie card that Heritage sold for $12.6 million in August 2022.

Ruth kept the jersey until the 1940s when he gave it to a golfing friend, whose daughter kept it until the 1990s. A sports auction pioneer bought the jersey for six figures, then it was sold to a private collector who kept it until 2005. It sold for $940,000 at that time and remained in the same private collection until now.

The heavy gray flannel jersey was authenticated via photo matching by MeiGray. The game wear is characterized as moderate to heavy, and is considered in above average condition for its advanced age. It was given the Superior grade by SGC for being an original jersey with solid game wear and in a strong state of physical preservation.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to work with this incredible piece of American history, and I am proud that it will now be part of one of the finest private collections in the world,” Heritage’s Director of Sports Chris Ivy said. “It is clear by the strong auction participation and record price achieved that astute collectors have no doubt as to what this Ruth jersey is and what it represents. The legend of Babe Ruth and the myth and mystery surrounding his ‘called shot’ are united in this one extraordinary artifact.”