New Babe Ruth Rookie Discovered

Via Sports Collectors Daily we find out about a new Babe Ruth discovery. The above picture is of a 4.5 x 6.5 inch team card of the 1914 Baltimore Orioles of the International League- Ruth's minor league team and first year in profession Baseball. It was produced by Baltimore News and is probably one of a kind. (or, at least, other examples have not survived the test of time)

In the newly discovered team photo card, Ruth appears standing in the upper left of the back row. Also included among the players shown are Ernie Shore and Ben Egan, who along with Ruth, on July 10, 1914 were sold to the Boston Red Sox by Baltimore Orioles' owner Jack Dunn for a reported $25,000. When the Federal League established a major league team in Baltimore in 1914, directly across the street from the minor league Orioles, the competition hurt Orioles' attendance significantly. Some games drew as few as fifty fans in the stands. To avoid bankruptcy, Dunn was forced to sell his best players to Red Sox owner Joseph Lannin.

Also included in the find is the above 1914 Baltimore News Baseball card of Babe Ruth. This is one of only 10 cards known to exist and is very rare. In fact, if a mint example where ever found it might sell for more than the T206 Honus Wagner.

Hat Tip: James Feagin: Vintage Baseball Card Forum: