Babe Ruth Underwear

Q: I have three pairs of men’s underwear with a neck label that says “Babe Ruth” in red. They are in a box printed with the word “Sealpax” on the top and also “Step Thru—Button Two” and “A new one free—if this one rips.” The boxed underwear came from my dad’s family’s general store a long time ago. Are they of any value?

A: Sealpax was a trade name registered by the Rubin-Meltzer Corp. of New York in 1915. The company made underwear, robes and pajamas. We found 1926–1930 newspaper ads for Sealpax’s Babe Ruth underwear. Babe Ruth set a record for the most home runs in a season in 1927 and was one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. He was one of the era’s most popular sports figures and his name was used to promote many different products. Sealpax’s slogan, “Step Thru—Button Two,” was used on union suits, a type of one-piece long underwear. Ruth’s name was also used to advertise other underwear brands. A box of Babe Ruth underwear sold for over $500 a couple of years ago.