A piece of baseball history has been uncovered in Danvers, Massachusetts—a 1916 Babe Ruth rookie card from his early days as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. The card, part of a rare promotional series from Morehouse Bakery in Lawrence, has long been considered a collector’s dream. Its discovery has sent waves of excitement through the world of vintage card collecting.
Jeff Gross, a Newburyport-based collector with a passion for rare baseball memorabilia, recounted the incredible find. The story began at a family estate sale in Danvers, where Gross struck up a casual conversation with a visitor about baseball cards.
“I asked, ‘Do you have Babe Ruth Morehouse Bakery cards?’ and he said, ‘I do,'” Gross recalled. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, explained that his father had been a collector of the Morehouse Bakery series. The collection, which includes over 100 cards, had been stored away in boxes for decades—among them were two Babe Ruth rookie cards.
“This is Babe Ruth in 1916,” said Gross. “He was just a skinny left-handed pitcher for the Red Sox, not the home-run-hitting Yankee legend we think of today.”
What makes the Morehouse Bakery cards particularly valuable is the advertising printed on the back. According to PJ Kinsella of Robert Edward Auctions, this unique feature elevates their rarity and worth.
“The Morehouse Baking ad on the back is what truly makes this collection special,” Kinsella said. The Babe Ruth rookie card in better condition is estimated to fetch at least $500,000 when it goes to auction.
Gross, a seasoned collector, is assisting the card’s owner with the sale. The auction begins Friday, and Gross plans to celebrate with the card’s owner and his wife by hosting a bid-watching party.
“Someone asked me, ‘Does he know he just hit the lottery?’ And I said, ‘He does now,'” Gross joked. “I told my wife, maybe we should just keep hosting yard sales and see if the next million-dollar collection rolls in.”
This find adds to a year full of remarkable baseball card discoveries in Massachusetts. Earlier in 2024, an unopened pack of 1952 Bowman baseball cards was found during a home demolition in Chatham. That pack, still sealed, could also be worth up to a million dollars.
For now, the spotlight is on the Babe Ruth rookie card—a rare artifact of baseball’s golden age and a testament to the enduring thrill of uncovering hidden treasures.
At Baseball Card Castle in Cranberry, the search intensifies with every new shipment of cards.
“This is day eight of an odyssey that’s unlike any card journey we’ve experienced,” said Jeff Patton, the store’s owner.
A Card Chase Like No Other
The excitement is palpable, and collectors are ready to take their chances. Customers like Joe Balcik of Monroeville have high hopes.
“I heard they’re gonna offer big money if you get the right card,” Balcik said. His strategy? “I just took some from the top, some from the middle, some from the bottom.”
For Georgia Krastek of McCandless, the search is personal. A die-hard Pirates fan who attended 23 games this year, she’s been on a mission to get Skenes’ autograph all season.
“I tried all year to get Paul Skenes’ autograph, but I never did,” Krastek said.
A Hobby Turned Phenomenon
Since the Pirates announced their incredible offer, interest in the card has exploded. What was once a niche hunt for seasoned collectors has drawn new participants from all walks of life.
“Now it’s not just the regular collectors,” Patton explained. “Grandmas and grandpas are coming in, saying, ‘I want to get my grandson or granddaughter in on this.'”
And with a reward as exciting as decades of prime seats at PNC Park, the buzz is understandable.
“I would go,” said Krastek, imagining a win. “And I bet my grandsons would visit me more often too.”
The Demand Keeps Growing
At Baseball Card Castle, Patton is working tirelessly to meet the demand.
“The list keeps on filling up,” he said. “We’re already starting on tomorrow’s list. We promise product tomorrow, and we’ll get it somehow.”
For now, the card remains elusive, but the dream is alive for every collector who opens a pack.
“It would be so nice,” Krastek said, holding on to hope.
As the hunt continues, one thing is certain: this journey has brought fans, families, and collectors together in pursuit of something truly special.
