Some will call it an act of desecration, others will say it's simply the state of the business.
A Babe Ruth game-worn New York Yankees home jersey from 1925 was cut on Monday by a card company that will insert swatches of the jersey into packs.
The company, Donruss, purchased the jersey -- believed to be one of three Ruth pinstripe jerseys in existence -- at an auction last summer for $264,210.
One ceremonial 1-by-1 inch cut of the jersey was made by Donruss president and COO Bill Dully, with Ruth's daughter, Julia Ruth Stevens, assisting at the ESPN Zone in New York City. The jersey will immediately go back to the company's headquarters in Arlington, Texas, to be sliced and diced into 2,100 pieces.
The memorabilia business is ruining sports. This is just an indication of how far they will sink just to make a buck. What possible historical value can these little chunks of the jersey hold for the people that get them? By itself, they're just a piece of fabric. Together they were formally a garment worn by the greatest baseball player of all time. "G.H. Ruth" was even sewn into the collar of the jersey. What a treasure from a bygone age. The Jersey should be hanging in a museum. Now its so many worthless chunks. Way to go Donross.
Julia Ruth Stevens should be ashamed of herself. She has betrayed her father's legacy.
There would be no issue if it were the jersey of a current player being cut up, but only two other Ruth jersey's exist. This is comparable to cutting up the Shroud of Turin to be dispersed with some Jack Chick tracts.
Why would people even want the chunks anyway? What purpose do they serve? You probably can't tell the chunk of fabric from any other chunk of fabric which may be laying around a collector's home, so what's the fuss all about? People seem to be obsessed with collecting these days. From Beanie Babies to Harry Potter merchandise,
we're constantly being asked to purchase more and more.We need to learn to appreciate sports, and other areas of our lives, for what they really are. If you see a professional athlete, shake his and congratulate him or her on their performance. You'll probably illicit a more favorable reaction from them using this tactic then if you shove a ball in their faces to be signed.
I'm not against collecting. I can understand the desire to have an autographed baseball or picture from your favorite athlete in your home, but sometimes these desires can be taken too far.
This is a prime example.
ESPN.com: SPORTSBUSINESS - Baseball card company slices up Ruth jersey