Baseball Auction

Another historic baseball is to be auctioned off next week. The ball Babe Ruth hit for the first Yankee Stadium home run 75 years ago will be sold at an auction next week, the New York Daily News reported today. The ball, authenticated by several experts, will be offered for sale on Thursday by Leland's auction gallery in Manhattan, according to the newspaper. The ball was found two years ago by an 87-year-old great-grandmother from Chatham, N.J. She said it was given to her late husband as a prize in 1927 when he was named to the New Jersey All-State baseball team. The ball is signed by Ruth with the inscription, "First Home Run Hit At Yankee Stadium April 18 - 1923." Its presale value has been estimated at $100,000, the newspaper reported. "I just don't see any use for it," Viola Bevilacque told the Daily News. "Other than it was my (husband) Charlie's, and he's gone." The ball is the latest baseball memorabilia to be sold. At an auction by Christie's earlier this week, an 85-year-old Honus Wagner card went for $222,500, while the ball Mark McGwire hit for his 50th home run went for $46,000. Three years ago, a ball signed by the 1927 World Champion Yankees - referred to as "Murderer's Row" - was sold by Leland's for $33,000.