Babe Ruth 'called shot' jersey sells for record $24 million at auction

Even though most of his on-field records have been broken, Babe Ruth is still a heavy hitter in the collectibles market.

The jersey Ruth wore in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, when he legendarily "called his shot" and homered off Chicago Cubs pitcher Charlie Root, sold at auction Saturday night for $24.12 million – setting a record for the most expensive sports collectible.

The bidding for Ruth's size 46 road gray No 3 New York Yankees uniform was handled by Heritage Auctions , which did not identify the buyer.

The previous record was for a rare mint condition Mickey Mantle 1952 rookie card, which sold for $12.6 million in 2022.

Whether or not Ruth actually pointed to the center field stands and then hit the ball there on Root's next pitch, the jersey is significant because it was the last World Series home run the Babe hit in his storied career.

In addition, photo-matching techniques have determined it was the one he was wearing in that 1932 World Series game at Wrigley Field.

The last Ruth jersey to be sold at auction went for $940,000 in 2005, but its link to the 1932 Series was inconclusive.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Babe Ruth 'called shot' jersey sells for record $24 million at auction