Every Ruth ball tells a story. This one's story is, first, that it's an upper mid-grade, borderline high-grade example with a minimally "7"-strength signature. All the hallmarks of Babe's autograph artistry—from his bulbous "B" to the tall "b" to his looping "R" and crossed "th"—are here in spades. Not to mention that the elegant script is perfectly centered to boot. Next in our story comes the venerable manufacturer Spalding, whose "Star" model can often be traced to the iconic 1927 season, yet is likely later in this instance due to the absence of Ruth's early-style quotation marks around "Babe." The lightly toned/scuffed ball concludes its story with the seldom-seen, mostly intact retail box, which remains bright and vibrant despite heavy wear throughout. As a point of reference on value, it's worth noting that we sold a very similar quality Ruth ball way back in 2007 for over $40,000. Full LOA from JSA.