Christie’s is holding a real home run of an auction this week.

The aptly named American Greats sale, which will take place at the auction house’s Rockefeller Center salesroom on October 22, comprises over 400 lots of sports, music, and movie memorabilia, including the jersey that late New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig wore during the 1939 World Series. 

Goodman Basil “G.B.” Espy lovingly amassed the pieces over almost 50 years. The Alabama-born doctor, who died in November 2024 at the age of 89, was a passionate collector with a discerning eye and a wide range of interests. As a result, his collection is like a time capsule of 20th-century American pop culture.  

“Dr. Espy formed a collection that tells the story of 20th-century America from its playing fields to its movie theaters,” Nathalie Ferneau, a sports memorabilia specialist at Christie’s, said in a statement. “Collectors and historians will find an array of rare and important pieces of memorabilia at all levels of interest and value to study and acquire.” 

The star lot is, of course, Gehrig’s jersey. The first baseman wore it as he captained the Yankees in the 1939 World Series, defeating the Cincinnati Reds in a four-game sweep (7-3) at Crosley Field. Gehrig had actually been forced to retire from playing earlier that season after he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but remained the team’s honorary captain. This was the last home jersey he wore in an official capacity, adding further to the exclusivity. The lot is expected to hammer down for between $2 million and $4 million. (It will probably get that, too, given how much people pay for balls, bats, and other gear.)

That isn’t the only baseball-related collectible headlining the auction, either: The ring that late Brooklyn Dodgers star Jackie Robinson received when he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 is also up for grabs. The gold ring has a black faux stone face with a baseball at the center and “Baseball Hall Of Fame” around the beveled edge. The lettering “2nd Baseman” appears on one side and the name “Robinson” runs across the other. The rarity expected to sell for between $250,000 and $500,000. Christie’s says the sale also includes important items from Babe Ruth, “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, and Ty Cobb. 

On the Hollywood front, a United States Defense Department identification card belonging to Marilyn Monroe that she signed “Norma Jean DiMaggio” is expected to achieve between $20,000 to $30,000. Collectors can also bid on iconic pieces with ties to Elvis Presley, Clark Gable, and Katharine Hepburn.

In addition to the live sale, a digital auction titled Vintage Sports and Hollywood Online: The Dr. G.B. Espy Collection is running from now until October 24. Highlights from both auctions will be on view at Christie’s Rockefeller location from October 18 to 21.