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Grey Flannel’s 2014 Summer Games Auction featuring an outstanding array of professional and college sports memorabilia will open for bidding on Friday, May 30th. The fully illustrated catalog for this auction, containing more than 1,400 top-quality lots, may be viewed online. Phone, absentee and online bids will be accepted through June 18th.
The auction’s Premier Lots are led by a unique historical document the notes that Baseball Hall of Famer and New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle handwrote for his final speech, which was broadcast on national television from Baylor Hospital in Dallas on July 12, 1995. Knowing the seriousness of his condition, Mantle wrote the poignant words: “I said one time I didn't know how Lou Gehrig could…here at home plate knowing he was going to die and say he was the luckiest man on the face of earth now I think I know...To all my little teammates [sic] out there. Please don’t do drugs & [alcohol]. God only gave us 1 body take care of it.”
The farewell speech is the centerpiece of a framed presentation (Lot #12) that includes other Mantle memorabilia. It is entered in the auction with a full LOA from JSA and has a minimum bid of $10,000.
From an earlier and endlessly fascinating era of Yankees history, Lot #1 is a 1927 signed photo of the team famously known as “Murderers’ Row.” The 10in by 8in black and white photograph includes signatures from Hall of Famers Babe Ruth (60 home runs in ’27), Lou Gehrig, Waite Hoyt, Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri, Herb Pennock and Miller Huggins; as well as the scarce Urban Shocker. The photo carries a reserve of $5,000.
Lot #9 is Thurman Munson’s FAA Temporary Airman Certificate dated July 17, 1979 just 16 days before the tragic plane crash that claimed the beloved Yankee captain’s life. The certificate has been encapsulated by PSA/DNA and is in near-mint condition. The auction reserve price is $2,500.
Representing the highest echelons of hockey history is Lot #288: Wayne Gretzky’s game-used helmet worn on March 20, 1994 when he scored his 800th and 801st career goals to tie Gordie Howe’s all-time goal record. The helmet is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Gretzky’s brother-in-law Gary Jones, who notes that “The Great One” personally gave him the helmet at the conclusion of the 1993-94 season. The helmet has been video-matched to footage from the game. Reserve: $2,500.
Michael Jordan’s game-used and autographed sneakers worn by Jordan in Game 3 of the 1996 NBA Finals versus the Seattle SuperSonics are offered as Lot #448. In these very shoes, Jordan tallied 36 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals to give the Bulls a 3-0 series lead, en route to securing the NBA Championship in Game 6. Jordan would go on to receive Finals MVP honors. The sneakers are accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Eric Snow, a player for the ’96 Sonics who received the shoes from Jordan in the locker room following the game. The sneakers carry a reserve of $5,000.
The auction’s football section features photo-matched game-used jerseys from many NFL superstars including: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Calvin Johnson, Ray Lewis and Dez Bryant.
Also included in the sale is the greatest collection of New York Football Giants memorabilia ever sold, including game-used jerseys from Hall of Famers Ken Strong, Roosevelt Brown, Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan; and a game-used suspension helmet worn by Y. A. Tittle. The collection also contains Ken Strong’s 1934 New York Giants World Champion trophy and a game-used and team-signed football from "The Greatest Game Ever Played," the 1958 NFL Championship between the Giants and the Baltimore Colts.
The Summer Games auction also features some highly collectible American pop culture items, such as Frank Sinatra’s stage-worn black fedora (Lot #258); and Marilyn Monroe’s worn pinup bullet brassiere (Lot #259). Each of the items has a reserve of $500.
The fully illustrated electronic version of the catalog is available to view online.
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