David Wells dons his Babe Ruth hat for an interview promoting the current SCP auction.

Former Yankee pitcher David Wells once donned a game-used Babe Ruth hat on the mound when he faced the Cleveland Indians on June 27, 1998. Boomer says he paid $35,000 for the hat with “G. Ruth” stitched into the lid and that same hat has a bid of over $200,000 now that Wells has put it up for sale.  The auction house selling it notes there is a reserve on the hat which has not yet been met.

Sports Cards Plus’ current auction also features another relic related to Ruth not owned by Wells, his c.1920 Yankee jersey that has already attracted bids exceeding $1.6 million. The retired pitcher, who once pitched a perfect game for the Yanks, appears to have chosen the right time to sell his Ruth cap and could make quite a score if the bidding reaches his secret reserve.

In an industry riddled with fraud and deception, Wells can consider himself lucky to exit the hobby with a nice return on his investment for a hat that expert Dave Grob considers authentic. The only attribute of the hat that ties it to game use by Ruth is the chain-stitched name in the interior leather band. Examination of the stitching by an expert like Grob can make or break such an item that has no clear provenance or photographic documentation as having once been on the Bambino’s head. Grob examined the stitching and told us, “It is really the only thing you have to tie the hat to Ruth as a matter of practicality.” As for the hat Grob says, “I found no issues with it at all.  Very nice artifact.”

Wells, however, wasn’t as lucky with another artifact that was presented to him as being the last jersey the Babe ever wore as a major leaguer for the Boston Braves in 1935. This past summer, Wells appeared on FOX Sports’ television show, “Cheap Seats,” to showcase his collection/man-cave in his San Diego home and pointed to one display case with the alleged Ruth jersey. Wells told the audience, “Here’s my jerseys.  Babe Ruth’s last year as a Boston Brave.”  Wells pointed to the jersey he thought was Ruth’s last, relying on the representations made to him by the sellers and auctioneers who had handled the garment previously.

Unfortunately for Wells, the jersey was actually from 1934, not 1935, and was worn by Wally Berger, not Ruth.   Berger also wore number “3″ for the Braves from 1932 to 1934, before Ruth’s arrival.  SCP is selling the eight item stash known as “The David Wells Collection,” and Ruth’s alleged “last jersey” is now correctly being sold as a “1933-34 Wally Berger Boston Braves Game Worn Road Jersey.”  Based upon Dave Grob’s report, the auction house has also added to the lot title: “With Possible 1935 Attribution to Babe Ruth.”  SCP says Grob was unable to “attribute this jersey to Babe Ruth in any exclusive or definitive manner, though does allow for the possibility that Ruth could have worn it in Spring Training of 1935. In addition to their shared uniform number that was transferred to Ruth in 1935, Berger and Ruth were similar in stature.”  The jersey currently has a bid of $15,700.

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