I recently purchased this photo from a family friend who was related to the photographer. It is 5" x 7" B&W photograph of Babe Ruth. Written in fountain pen on the back: Photo by Fritz Kraft, 10-22-33. "He just hit a homer as I clicked the Kodak".
Fritz Kraft was a 'souvenir photo' photographer in Hawaii, and evidence of his work can be found all over the web. His works seemed to be very popular, especially with sailors (ie: WWII Topless Hula Girl Set). He also was sued by the Territory of Hawaii in 1935 in what appears to be an early 'papparazzi' type case that went to the Hawaiian Supreme Court. He "
took certain photographs of a group including Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph B.Poindexter, governor of the Territory of Hawaii, while they were visiting the Shriners' Hospital for crippled children in Honolulu and sold the same for thirty-five cents a copy. Upon this information awarrant of arrest was issued and served on the defendant, who was duly brought before the magistrate to answer the charge made against him. " The charges were overturned/dropped by the Hawaii Supreme Court.
The date on the back of the photo corresponds with the 1933 exhibition baseball games in Hawaii with Babe Ruth. I was also able to find the following story:
From October 23, 1933
RUTH SMACKS HOMER
HONOLULU (T. H.). Oct. 23. -
(U.P.)—Babe Ruth hit the first ball pitched to him for a home run when the visiting major league players defeated the local Wanderers here yesterday, 5 to 1. Before the game started Ruth complained that the baseballs provided were "second grade." The contest drew a crowd of 11,000, the largest ever to attend a baseball game here.
So it is very possible this photograph captures that home run!
And now, here is the photo:
I am not a vintage photo collector...yet...this is my first one
- I'm curious as to what anyone else on here thinks it may be worth.
Joel