Babe Ruth 500th HR bat off Willis Hudlin - autographed letter
ernie11
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It is estimated that the bat used by Babe Ruth to club his 500th career home run will auction for around $1 million - if any of you want to bid, be my guest!
I can't afford that bat, but I have the next best thing - an autographed letter by the pitcher, Willis Hudlin, who served up that home run. I posted this back in 2017, but am re-posting it. Hudlin was 91 years old when I got this letter in 1997, so his handwriting is hard to read, I'll translate:
"The Babe had his good years about the same time that I had mine. Yes he hit his 500 HR off me 8/11/29 in Cleveland. It was a sinker ball that he hit. The Babe did not have much luck vs. me. In 9 years he only got a total of 5 HR's off of me. With all good wishes, Willis Hudlin".
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It’s amazing to me the memories of these players that they remember exactly what pitch they threw to certain players. Just watch the interviews of some of these old timers
Lafayette Grading Set
True. His later memory was not totally accurate - he sent me this letter in 1997 but dated it 1987.
Awesome letter!
I have just a few of this kind of thing, It is great to get a letter or note about a famous person or event from someone who was there.
I forget who it was but I got a letter from someone who told me that later in his career Babe Ruth called everyone "kid" because he couldn't remember anyone's name.
https://www.si.com/mlb/2019/12/16/babe-ruth-bat-sells-more-than-one-million-auction