GIF: 16-millimeter footage of a 1929 Babe Ruth home run emerges

"This is the holy grail."

That's Mike Augustyni describing a small, black-and-white clip of amateur film recently discovered that shows Babe Ruth hitting a home run in a game on Aug. 29, 1929 against the Washington Senators. 

Augustyni bought the film via an eBay auction back in October, but kept the news quiet while he digitally transferred it, according to an interview he granted The Journal News, who also have the video clip available.

Having seen it, we'd tend to understand. Have a look:

[Courtesy LoHud]

The home run was a three-run shot, pushing the Yankees to a 5-4 lead and eventual victory over the Senators and moving them to 71-50, though they'd stumble down the stretch and miss the playoffs.

Here's a little more detail on the clip, courtesy the Journal News:

Raw film footage of Babe Ruth is rare — so rare that less than an hour's worth is said to exist in the archives of Major League Baseball. Every now and then, a forgotten newsreel or a home movie surfaces, but a moving image of Ruth hitting the ball out of the park is a real find.
...
Taken from a ground-level seat at Yankee Stadium with a heavy 16-millimeter Kodak camera, the movie shows the Sultan of Swat standing in the batter's box against Firpo Marberry, a tough right-hander known for his menacing scowl. It's the bottom of the eighth and the Yanks are down 4-2. Two men are on base.

There's really not anything else to say here except that this is incredible.

[H/T EOB]