Babe Ruth poses with Monsignor Benjamin Bradley in 1921

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Dear Babe: We have a mission should you choose to accept. We acquired the attached old photos of Babe Ruth. I've been trying to identify the person and building in the background. From what I’ve been able to discern, it’s not St. Mary's in Baltimore. Perhaps he made an appearance at a hospital? They are great old photos, probably earlier in his career as he is fairly thin. They are original snapshots, but they are small — approximately 3.5x2 inches, which I think was common for the time. You lose a lot of clarity when you try to enlarge them for details Kim and Tim T., Yaphank, N Y.

Da Babe thrives on historical challenges. Getting to the right source is the key, and this one proved to be fairly easy. “I believe the photos are of Babe Ruth at Mt. St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Md., probably from his visit there in 1921,” said Mike Gibbons, executive director of the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore. “Ruth took a train from Baltimore there for a little PR visit for the school. He hit home runs for the students.” The museum has some other photos, similar to yours, in its archives. Gibbons said.

Gibbons was right on the mark, according to Christian Kendzierski, Mount St. Mary’s director of media relations. “The photo taken on the morning of May 7, 1921. Students of Mount St. Mary's were treated to a batting display by George Herman ‘Babe’ Ruth on the Mount's Echo Field, which still exists today,” according to text on a Mt. St. Mary’s display.

While Gibbons thought Ruth was standing with a Xaverian Brother, he’s actually posing with Monsignor Benjamin Bradley, a Catholic priest, who was college president at the time. “Msgr. Bradley is one of the Mount giants... president from1911-1936. He was a big time sports enthusiast,” Kendzierski said. The mistake about him being a Xaverian Brother apparently comes from a pictorial book that Ruth's daughter edited, Kendzierski said.

“Those are great!” said Mike Heffner, president ofwww.lelands.com auction house in South Dennis, Mass. "I would say that the group is worth around $2,500.”

Dear Babe: Bill, I own a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth and Rabbit Maranville. As I understand it, Babe was in Chicago and he and Maranville went to visit kids at Shewbridge Field on Chicago’s south side. Our parish priest’s father was a Chicago policeman working the detail and got the ball signed. I believe it’s an official American League ball. Subsequently the priest gave the ball to me. Jack Halper, Athens, Ga.

If it’s an official ball, it’s probably a National League baseball. “Ruth and Maranville played together in Ruth’s last year, 1935, with the Boston Braves. I bet that it was signed then,” said Mike Gutierrez, consignment director for Heritage Auctions (www.ha.com) in Dallas. A ball signed by that duo in good shape should be worth $5000-$7500. If it was an official ball, it would have been of the National League variety.

Dear Babe: I recently went through some more of my boxed and stored materials and found an East-West All Star Football game program and ticket stub from Jan 1, 1944. The game was played at San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium. I attended this game as a PFC in the Army. I also have a Virginia-Harvard football game program from Oct. 11, 1947. It is significant because Chester Pierce, a tackle for Harvard was the first black player to participate in a major game in the South. Also of interest is a picture of Bobby Kennedy in the program. He was an end for Harvard.

“The East West stub and program are around $100 for the pair, while the Virginia-Harvard program is worth around $50-$100,” said Mike Heffner, president of www.lelands.com auction house in South Dennis, Mass. By the way, Pierce’s football accomplishment, while noteworthy, pales in comparison to what he did off the field. A noted psychiatrist, Dr. Chester M. Pierce is Professor, emeritus, of Education and Psychiatry in the Medical School, the Graduate School of Education and the School of Public Health at Harvard University. ”

Check out Da Babe’s next column Sunday.

If you have a question for Babe Waxpak, include your full name and hometown, the card number, year and manufacturer or send a photocopy. Please do not send cards. The address is: Babe Waxpak, Box 492397, Redding CA 96049-2397 or e-mail babewaxpak@charter.net.