Of the many items that we have offered for sale in our auctions it could be that this one is our favorite. It may not have the panache of a T206 Wagner or a Babe Ruth jersey but it is likely the only one of its kind and it represents everything that made baseball the national pastime in its earliest days. Picture this: the year is 1934 and a 10-year-old boy listening to the radio learns about a contest involving Babe Ruth. First prize a trip to Florida with Ruth for Spring Training seems out of reach. But perhaps by entering he can win a lesser prize like a baseball or a glove. A few weeks later young Gerard Knapp of Menands NY receives a letter from the Babe himself telling him he's qualified for the "World Series Finals" of his contest. By simply choosing an "all-star" team and explaining why he's chosen the players he had he could be one of just fifty boys to accompany the Sultan Of Swat to Florida. And on March 5 the young boy receives a Western Union Telegram from the Babe that he won the contest and would be traveling to Florida! Alone without his parents but accompanied by "experienced leaders." Everything about this sets off alarm bells with even the least experienced parents but 1934 was a different time and this really happened. Every piece of this lot was saved by the Knapp family chronicling the young boy's adventure from his entry into the contest his instructions on how the trip would work and even the newspaper article announcing "Menands Boy Will Be Guest of Babe Ruth in Florida Camp."The 1934 Spring Training was particularly newsworthy as much news was made of Babe Ruth's physical conditioning. It would be Ruth's final Spring in a Yankee uniform and the 40-year-old superstar reflected on his career often in a host of news stories across the country. On March 25 of that spring Ruth hit a home run off Boston's Huck Betts that was measured as having traveled an amazing 624 feet - just two days after leaving the company of young Gerard Knapp and 49 other boys who were winners of the radio contest. Included in the lot is every piece needed to put this magical story together: 1) Babe Ruth Photo: 8x10" photo of Ruth with facsimile autograph "To My Pal " from the Babe Ruth Boys Club. This photo is identical to that of the 1934 Quaker Oats or Esso promotional photos though clearly much more scarce. Photo is in GOOD condition with writing in the upper-left corner reading "Thanks Gerald Knapp NY winner of my contest" in handwriting that is clearly not that of Babe Ruth. 2) February 16 1934 Letter: Addressed to Knapp from Babe Ruth (with facsimile autograph) containing instructions on how to enter the World Series Finals of the contest. Instructions are quite explicit for a ten-year-old boy! 3) Western Un