"The Colossus of Clout."
"The Great Bambino."
No matter the nickname, George Herman Ruth is arguably among the most famous baseball players of all time, and his authentic autograph recently found its way into the hands of a Corpus Christi collector.
"I've got a little piece of Babe Ruth, and I don't want to get rid of that," said sports memorabilia enthusiast Andy Purvis.
The Historic Autograph Company's "In Memory Of" series contains authentic autographs of deceased baseball players and past presidents cut from items such as index cards, documents and checks. Each autograph is encased and graded by Professional Sports Authenticator for its authenticity.
Each box contains three autographs and retails between $150 and $200. There is a 1 in 80 box chance to get a Group A autograph, of which there are 17, including Ruth's.
David De La Cruz, owner of Collector's Planet, sold the box containing what he called "a piece of history."
He said the acquisition of the autograph is deserved because of Purvis' passion for collecting.
De La Cruz thinks the hobby has somewhat faded because many people would rather make a quick buck or are more interested in the monetary value of an item rather than enjoying it.
"It's not about making money. It's about collecting your childhood heroes," De La Cruz said.
Purvis has no intention of selling the autograph.
He plans on enjoying it before passing it on to his grandson.
"True collecting is you take it, share it, think about it, and if it brings a smile to your face, it's a good thing," Purvis said.
Stephen Dickler, vice president of sales for the Historic Autograph Company, said there is a demand for authentic autographed products and the company was formed to provide consumers with various links to the past.
There is no doubt that this is one of Purvis' prized possessions, and De La Cruz is astounded at the piece of history uncovered in his store.
"Babe Ruth. Son of a gun. That's a once-in-a-lifetime pull," De La Cruz said.
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