A one-of-a-kind baseball signed by some of the game's all-time greats, mysteriously stolen from its secure perch at the Babe Ruth Museum, was recovered yesterday under equally baffling circumstances reminiscent of a whodunit.
An anonymous tipster called museum officials yesterday about 1:30 p.m. and told them where they could find the "Matchless Ball," which was signed by 22 members of the 1934 American League All Star team, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx.
Thirty minutes later, they were holding the baseball, which had been left in a brown paper bag. Officials would not disclose the exact location because of a police investigation.
"We still do not know any of the details as to how the ball was taken and the journey it took," said Michael Gibbons, executive director of the Babe Ruth Museum. "All we know is that it is back. It came back in what appears to be the condition it was in when it left. So it was not damaged as it went through this little odyssey."
Mr. Gibbons noticed about 10 a.m. Friday that the ball was missing. He said it could have been taken any time in the previous two weeks.
"I really was just walking by and it hit me," he said. "I sensed a void there."
Mr. Gibbons walked over to the display case where the ball was kept with other memorabilia in the Babe Ruth centennial exhibit. He pulled at the bottom of the 1/2 -inch thick Plexiglas case and instead of being securely fastened, it gave way. Several screws that attach the case to the wall had been removed, giving access to the baseball.
After publicizing the theft, the museum began receiving calls Sunday from people who said they knew who had the ball.
Yesterday afternoon, a man called saying he had purchased the ball and wanted to return it. But he wanted to do it anonymously.
"He said, 'I know I'm out [my money],' but I'm not coming forward,' " Mr. Gibbons said. "He said that he had purchased the ball and he didn't know what he had until the media told him what he had."
The baseball was lent to the museum by Dan de la Torre, 50, who lives in Holiday, Fla., north of St. Petersburg.
Mr. de la Torre bought the baseball in 1992 from a small baseball card shop in Roswell, Ga. He said he knows little about baseball, but recognized two names on the ball: Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. He bought it for $1,200. Mr. de la Torre decided to find out who the other names were on the ball, and his research led him to the conclusion -- shared by museum officials -- that the ball was from the 1934 All Star game, only the second one played.
"To the best of anyone's knowledge, it is the only ball signed by the 1934 All Star Team," Mr. Gibbons said.
The value of the ball is difficult to determine. Museum officials say it could be worth as much as $100,000.
"It's the kind of item that you wouldn't know how much it is worth until you put it up for auction and somebody buys it," said Lee Sherman, owner of American Baseball Classics at Harborplace. "Priceless is a good way to put it."
The baseball, accompanied by armed guards, was delivered to the museum in January for the exhibit commemorating Babe Ruth's 100th birthday.
It was not a happy moment when museum officials called Friday night to tell Mr. de la Torre his ball was missing.
"My whole life and future revolves around that ball," said Mr. de la Torre, who one day would like to open a museum centered around the ball.
He lent it to the Babe Ruth Museum because "I thought it would be nice to share it with everybody."
Asked how he felt when he learned the ball had been stolen, he said: "You don't have any idea. That ball is not for sale."
Now that the ball is back, the mystery of how it disappeared remains, and museum officials say they want to solve it.
Mr. Gibbons said he hopes the police investigation will provide some answers. The museum has what he described as a state-of-the-art security system.
"Somehow, that security was breached and I would like to know that for future reference," he said. "Any museum is vulnerable and our job is to do the best job we can to protect our artifacts. In this case, we hope to learn from our mistakes, if there were any, and just what the process that led to the theft.
"Somebody did their homework and we need to find out what happened here to the best of our knowledge and deal with that."
There has been one previous theft at the museum.
The Hanlon trophy, commemorating two early Baltimore baseball championships, was stolen in 1984 after a custodian failed to secure the building. The trophy was found in duct work some time later when a worker was making repairs.
"It's a very happy day for the Babe Ruth Museum," Mr. Gibbons said yesterday, holding the yellowed baseball with Babe Ruth's signature on its "sweet spot" between the seams in the center of the ball.
The "Matchless Ball" is to be back on display today.
