A piece of baseball history has been unearthed in Danvers, Massachusetts, as a 1916 Babe Ruth rookie card from his early days with the Boston Red Sox has come to light. The card is a part of a rare promotional series from Morehouse Bakery in Lawrence that has long been coveted by collectors. The discovery of this gem has sent ripples of excitement through the vintage card collecting community.
Jeff Gross, a collector based in Newburyport with a fervor for rare baseball memorabilia, shared the remarkable story of this valuable find. The narrative begins at a family estate sale in Danvers, where Gross engaged in a casual chat with a visitor about baseball cards.
During their conversation, Gross inquired about Babe Ruth Morehouse Bakery cards, to which the visitor responded affirmatively. The individual, choosing to stay anonymous, disclosed that his father had collected the Morehouse Bakery series. The extensive collection of over 100 cards had been stowed away in boxes for decades, with two Babe Ruth rookie cards among them.
“This is Babe Ruth in 1916,” Gross emphasized. “He was merely a slender left-handed pitcher for the Red Sox at that time, not the towering home run titan we revere today.”
The allure of the Morehouse Bakery cards lies in the advertising displayed on the back of each card. PJ Kinsella of Robert Edward Auctions noted that this distinctive feature enhances their rarity and value.
Kinsella remarked, “The Morehouse Baking ad on the back is what truly sets this collection apart.” The Babe Ruth rookie card, in better condition, is anticipated to command a price of at least $500,000 when it hits the auction block.
Gross, an experienced collector, is aiding the card’s owner in facilitating the sale. The auction is set to commence on Friday, with plans for Gross to mark the occasion by hosting a bid-watching gathering for the owner and his spouse.
Reflecting on the momentous find, Gross humorously mused, “Someone asked me, ‘Does he know he just hit the lottery?’ And I said, ‘He sure does now.’ Perhaps we should persist in hosting yard sales and see if another million-dollar collection surfaces.”
This discovery contributes to an eventful year of astounding baseball card revelations in Massachusetts. Previously in 2024, an unopened pack of 1952 Bowman baseball cards was uncovered during a home demolition in Chatham. This sealed pack, too, could potentially fetch up to a million dollars.
Presently, the spotlight is firmly on the Babe Ruth rookie card—a rare artifact from baseball’s esteemed past and a testament to the eternal excitement of unearthing hidden treasures.
At Baseball Card Castle in Cranberry, the pursuit of rare cards reaches a fever pitch with each new card shipment.
Jeff Patton, the store’s proprietor, remarked on the evolving quest, stating, “This marks day eight of a unique odyssey unlike any other card journey we’ve encountered.”
The enthusiasm among collectors is tangible, with customers like Joe Balcik of Monroeville exhibiting high hopes and adopting novel strategies to increase their odds. Georgia Krastek of McCandless, a dedicated Pirates fan with a personal mission, shares her own journey in the chase for an elusive autograph.
As the fervor for the prized card intensifies, Patton notes the expanding interest beyond seasoned collectors to a wider demographic, all drawn to the tantalizing prospect of securing prime seats at PNC Park for years to come.
The anticipation continues to mount at Baseball Card Castle, with Patton working diligently to meet the rising demand and assure eager customers of forthcoming product availability. While the card remains elusive for now, the unwavering optimism of every collector opening a pack reflects the enduring hope of a remarkable discovery.
In this shared pursuit, fans, families, and collectors alike are united in an exhilarating quest for something truly extraordinary.
