Recently, I came across a news feed about a Babe Ruth jersey that sold for an incredible $24.12 million. Apparently, it was the one he wore during the 1932 World Series game when he supposedly famously called his home run. That jersey actually sold last year, but the story resurfaced and got me thinking.

As many of you know, I’m a lifelong Cubs fan—a passion I inherited from my grandfather Willy, my mom’s dad, back in the mid-60s. He was a wonderful man, loved by all, and a diehard Cubs supporter. In his younger days, he attended countless games—back when you could stroll up to the ticket booth on game day and get a great seat for $1.65.

Grandpa Willy was born in 1899 and could talk endlessly about Cubs baseball and its rich history. I vividly remember one summer day in August 1969 when we were sitting in a tavern in St. Anne, Illinois, watching the Cubs game. Grandpa sipped a beer while I nursed a Coke. That day, Cubs pitcher Ken Holtzman threw a no-hitter against the Braves without recording a single strikeout, a feat that has happened only four times in Major League history.

His favorite Cub of all time was Andy Pafko. Why? I never really knew. While I don’t recall him ever saying whether he attended the 1932 World Series, he did go to many games that season. One thing Grandpa was sure of: Babe Ruth did not call that famous home run. And I believe him.

So, someone may have paid over $24 million for a fairly ordinary jersey even if it belonged to the Babe.

Now, full disclosure: While I bleed Cubbie blue, I’m also a bit of a closet Yankees fan, especially when it comes to their history. I couldn’t play sports much in the ’60s, so I devoured books about the Yankees. Mickey Mantle was my hero, with Lou Gehrig a close second. Babe Ruth? Sure, he was the greatest player ever on the most legendary team in baseball history, but somehow, rooting for something so obvious felt too easy.

Still, I’ve always admired Ruth and the era he defined. He towered over his competition—when he retired with 714 home runs, the next closest was his teammate Lou Gehrig with just 378. His last three career hits were all home runs. He had seasons where he personally hit more homers than entire teams. In 1921 alone, he posted 59 home runs, 177 runs scored, 168 RBIs, and an astronomical 1.359 OPS, a season unmatched before or since.

My dream? To see a Cubs-Yankees World Series in my lifetime. Ideally, the Cubs win in the 16th inning of Game 7 with a walk-off homer by a pinch hitter. A long shot, I know, but every fan gets to dream. Grandpa had me sold on the Cubs by early 1969, the year of heartbreak in Cubs history when, as the best team in baseball, choked in the latter part of the season to those hated Mets. But still, I’ve been loyal ever since.

Back to the so-called Ruthian shot. Grandpa remembered 1932 well, especially the sting of the Cubs being swept in four games. His argument against Ruth calling his shot always made sense to me.

According to Grandpa, Cubs pitcher Charlie Root had a nasty streak and hadn’t had a great season in ’32. If Ruth had actually pointed to center field to declare he was going to hit a homer, Root wouldn’t have let that go, as the next pitch would’ve been aimed at Ruth’s noggin.’ In fact, Root reportedly admitted as much on his deathbed in 1970.

Root still holds Cubs records for games played, innings pitched, and career wins (201), more than Fergie Jenkins, Mordecai Brown, or even the great Greg Maddux. Yet most people only remember him for the pitch that sparked the legend of the Babe.

What we do know is Ruth hit a towering home run in that fifth-inning at-bat. his second of the game. blasting it out of the park and onto Sheffield Avenue. But Grandpa always swore Ruth was pointing at the Cubs’ dugout, signaling there were just two strikes. The Cubs bench had been heckling Ruth mercilessly ever since he called the organization “cheapskates” earlier that year. The tale of the called shot? That came from sportswriter Joe Williams, who likely added some flair to his story.

That 1932 Series was Ruth’s tenth, and his last. Thirteen players from that series eventually made it to the Hall of Fame. It was also the first World Series where players wore numbers on their jerseys. Though Ruth dominated the headlines, Lou Gehrig was the true star, batting .529 with 8 RBIs and 3 home runs. Yankees players earned $5,232 each for winning the Series, while Cubs players took home $4,245.

Before Ruth’s jersey set that $24 million record, the most expensive sports collectible was another Yankee artifact, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card, which sold in 2022 for $12.6 million. That one really stings. I had stacks of Mantle cards as a kid, and I clearly remember clothes-pinning one to my bike so it would rattle against the spokes. If only I’d known…

Even today, I follow the Yankees, especially Aaron Judge. In just 30 games this season, he’s hit 10 home runs and is batting .400, something even Ruth never did (though Gehrig and Mantle did). Judge is the first player in history to tally 10 homers and over 50 RBIs in April.

So no, I don’t resent Babe Ruth. I revere the legacy. But my Grandpa never bought into the myth of the called shot, and honestly, I think he was right.

Oh, and by the way—as of today, both the Yankees and Cubs are in first place in their divisions. You don’t suppose…?