Babe Ruth's Parker?

[Bruce Day]

I have no idea what "BEFNAST" means. Maybe I am computer conversation illiterate, but I'm lost.

You know that little 20ga D hammer gun that was brought to the Vintagers and shown in the PGCA tent and at dinner was found in a chicken coop in Nebraska, feathers in the barrel, covered with a fine coating of rust and with a metal doubler strap to cover a stock wrist crack. While some would have turned up their noses in disgust, within a few days of work the gun was looking much better and it received much attention and admiration at the meeting. I suggest that now that gun is a high collector interest Parker and perhaps the only D hammer 20 known.

While I don't know the provenance of this alleged Ruth gun, if I was in the market for a historically interesting Parker, I'd be looking at this gun and considering what could be. I haven't examined the gun in person, can't tell the depth of the rust, but to me the gun looks merely neglected and not abused.

Just my thoughts. Wouldn't it be nice to have the Ruth gun? I sent a PDF file photo of Ruth in a Yankees sweater holding what may be this Parker. I was unable to manipulate it to post.

Here is the 20ga D hammer after it was fixed up. Rust gone, barrels refinished, stock crack fixed.

[Bill Murphy]

Bruce, my main collector interest is in provenanced Parkers. I would love to own a Parker owned by a famous baseball player.

[Brad Steinfeld]

I spoke to the owner when it was listed several months ago and at that time there was no substantiated connection between the gun and Babe Ruth other than past friends and family verbal claims to such in addition to a photo of Ruth holding "a" Parker that was to be this gun.

Happy Holidays.

[Jim Kucaba]

I hate Stick-Ball and wouldn't go to the World Series if it it was being played across the street and tickets were free ... That being said, I'm with Bruce, I've seen photos of Babe Ruth holding a shotgun, and if this Parker proves to be Ruth's gun I'm sure someone, not me, would willingly pay big buck$ for it ... Find me a Parker, or any other gun, that was owned by Ray Nitschke, Bart Starr, or A.J. Foyt and I might mortgage my house to bid on it ... Just my opinion ... So take it for what you paid for it.

Jim Kucaba ... AriZOOna Cactus Patch ... Email: JimKucaba@aol.com

[Forrest Smith]

The Babe had a sporting life, much like Tiger's I hear. There were some Parkers in the mix, among other guns...

[Autumn Daze]

Forrest,Thanks for the Ruth photo's a nice treat. We,re a big baseball and Yankee's family here. As far as this "so called" Ruth gun goes without any hard provenance its just a Parker shotgun.

In fact in a couple of weeks I can come up with a couple G Grades with Babe Ruth engraved on the trigger guard ! Or any other "Hall of Famer" for that matter....

[QUOTE=Dave Suponski;9615]Forrest,Thanks for the Ruth photo's a nice treat. We,re a big baseball and Yankee's family here. As far as this "so called" Ruth gun goes without any hard provenance its just a Parker shotgun.

In fact in a couple of weeks I can come up with a couple G Grades with Babe Ruth engraved on the trigger guard ! Or any other "Hall of Famer" for that matter....[- great fotos- and afew observations- on the three man line up foto, the Bo-Sox player to the far right of Babe- he's using his middle finger on the trigger of his double- the gent in the middle- a Colt's .32 autoloader perhaps- and Babe shooting as a leftie with a double- but a Parker? Not sure--

The next foto of the Babe with the deceased alligator/crocodile- well, the Yankees had their Spring Training grounds down in Avon Park, FL. back then, in the great "Murder's Row" era- wonder if that's where the foto was taken?