Happy Babe Ruth Day! On Feb. 6th, 1895, the Sultan of Swat was born.
 
Ironically enough, I JUST landed this Babe Ruth card! My friend Enrique came over yesterday, and we had a great time talking. BTW, Enrique is now a part of the T206 Wagner Flip Quest!
 
But anyway, onto the card…it is a SUPER fascinating one …
 
Babe Ruth’s 1932 Sanella offering pre-dates his Goudey cards, and has, perhaps, sinister implications, as it was produced in Germany during a very dark time.
 
 
While the Nazi party was reportedly fringe in years prior, by 1932 it was the largest political party in the Reichstag. In January of the following year, Hitler was named Chancellor of Germany. It appears as though the following month, the back of the card talks about a sort of redemption date.
 
According to Fangraphs.com:  “Much of the set and album amounted to almost propagandized nationalistic material German citizens must have felt privileged or compelled to own. After all, the cards were issued in 1933, not too long before the infamous 1936 Berlin Olympics, so there is a strikingly inordinate number of German athletes and figures represented in the album.”
 
 
I ran a translate on the back – check it out! Apparently “Sanella” is Finnish for “Dictate”. The top says “King on the blow” LOL. (It appears not 100% correct, so if anyone knows German, have at it!)
Given how plentiful it was back then, it is very possible Hitler himself was in possession of these Babe Ruth cards.
 
 
As for the card itself? It is perhaps Ruth’s most undervalued card, ever. It predates his famous Goudey offerings, and while it is not rare, it has a similar POP report to them. To top it off, it is strikingly beautiful. In fact, perhaps the most beautiful Ruth card you may have never heard of before with quite the back story, to boot!
 
 
So once again – thank you, Enrique – I love it tons!