Title:
Babe Ruth Signed 1935 Western Union Route Record Cut - From His Final Major League Season with the Boston Braves - PSA/DNA Certified and Autograph Graded NM 7 - Cert. 85795889

Description:
An exceptional Babe Ruth signed Western Union Telegraph Company Route Record, dating from April 22, 1935, during the final season of Ruth's legendary Major League Baseball career. The vintage Western Union form bears a large, immediately recognizable "Babe Ruth" autograph prominently across the designated signature area in pencil.

The document carries a red date stamp reading "1935 APR 22" and an "ALBANY, NEW YORK" marking immediately above Ruth's signature. The Western Union form is headed "ROUTE RECORD" and retains additional period notations and another handwritten signature or notation toward the lower portion.

The date is especially compelling. Ruth had been released by the New York Yankees on February 26, 1935, and immediately joined the Boston Braves for what would become his final major league season. The Braves did not play on April 22; they had played in Boston on April 21 and opened a road series against the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds on April 23. Thus, the April 22 date places this autograph squarely within the opening days of Ruth's final major league campaign. 

The Western Union card exhibits substantial period character, including overall toning, corner and edge wear, small losses and irregularities along the perimeter, scattered marks, and expected handling wear. Far more important for display, Ruth's signature remains large, complete, and highly legible, extending boldly across the central portion of the form.

Historical Context:
By the time Babe Ruth signed this Western Union record in April 1935, he was already one of the most celebrated figures in American sporting history. After 15 seasons with the New York Yankees, Ruth was released by the club on February 26, 1935, and signed with the Boston Braves, returning to the city where his major league career had begun more than two decades earlier. The National Baseball Hall of Fame records that Ruth joined the Braves as assistant manager, second vice president, and player. 

That makes the April 22, 1935 date particularly significant. This was not merely a late-life Ruth autograph; it was signed while the 40-year-old Ruth was still an active major league player, during the brief final chapter of his playing career. His 1935 season would last only 28 games. 

Despite the difficulties of his final season, Ruth produced one last extraordinary performance. On May 25, 1935, barely a month after the date appearing on this piece, he hit three home runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The third was the 714th and final home run of his career. He appeared in five more games before playing for the last time on May 30. 

Ruth retired with 714 home runs, 2,873 hits, 2,214 RBI, and a .342 lifetime batting average. His revolutionary power hitting helped transform baseball during the 1920s, and his 714 career home runs remained the major league record until Hank Aaron surpassed the mark in 1974. Ruth was elected as one of the first five members of the Baseball Hall of Fame in its inaugural Class of 1936. 

The unusual nature of the signed medium adds another dimension to the piece. Rather than a conventional photograph, baseball, or album page, Ruth's autograph appears on an actual Western Union operational form carrying a specific 1935 date and location marking. It therefore preserves both Ruth's signature and the everyday documentary character of Depression-era America, while its date connects it directly with the final weeks of his active baseball career.

Authentication & Encapsulation:
The Babe Ruth autograph has been professionally authenticated and graded by PSA/DNA. The PSA identification label describes the piece as:

"CUT / BABE RUTH / PSA/DNA CERTIFIED / AUTO GRADE"

The autograph has received the impressive grade of NM 7, with PSA Certification Number 85795889.

The NM 7 autograph grade is particularly desirable given the age of the document and the fact that Ruth signed it in pencil. His signature remains substantial and readily identifiable, with the familiar sweeping formation of his name occupying the central signature field.

The entire Western Union Route Record has been permanently encapsulated within PSA's clear protective holder. Both sides remain visible, preserving the document while allowing examination of its period printing, date and location markings, autograph, condition, and blank reverse.

• Additional Documentation & Provenance: At buyer's request, Historical Autographs Gallery will include an additional "Historical Autographs Gallery Certificate" signed by our company founder Luke Pascal at no cost.

Closing Appeal:
A particularly appealing Babe Ruth autograph combining an exact 1935 date, an unusual period Western Union document, a large full "Babe Ruth" signature, and PSA/DNA authentication with an NM 7 autograph grade.

Most significantly, the April 22, 1935 date places the autograph during Ruth's extraordinarily brief final season with the Boston Braves, little more than a month before he struck the final three home runs of his career. It captures the Babe not simply as a retired legend signing for an admirer, but during the final weeks in which he remained an active Major League Baseball player.

For collectors of Babe Ruth, New York Yankees history, Boston Braves material, prewar baseball, or elite authenticated sports autographs, this is a highly displayable and historically evocative piece from the closing chapter of the career of baseball's most enduring icon.

Shipping Notice:
For insurance purposes, items sold over $600 may require signature confirmation upon delivery. Higher-value items, likely over $1,500, are shipped via FedEx 2-Day with Direct Signature Confirmation. FedEx provides the most flexibility when requiring a signature, allowing you to make special delivery requests directly through their tracking system. This ensures both security and convenience for the buyer.