Hockey Legend Phil Bourque’s Five Penguins Stanley Cup Rings, a Babe Ruth 1928-30 Yankees Signed Game-Used Bat, and LeBron James’ Cavaliers Game-Worn Jersey to Pass Kobe Bryant for Youngest to 28,000 Points.
New York, NY, April. 3, 2023 – Historical documents directly related to the franchise- and baseball-altering contract that sold Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees in 1919 and a hobby fresh 1925 Exhibits Lou Gehrig Rookie Card highlight the Lelands 2023 Spring Classic Auction, which runs through April 22.
The incredible collection of rare documents from the Ruth sale – the most important transaction in sports history – includes two of the three promissory notes issued as part of the payment for the Bambino’s contract. Also featured in the 9-lot collection is the letter detailing why the Red Sox sold Ruth and the letter by the Yankees to the Red Sox owner on the day the two teams came to terms on the deal.
The Ruth sale documents up for auction originate from the famed Barry Halper Collection. All were purchased by Lelands’ consignor in 1999 at the sale of Halper’s collection by Sotheby’s in New York and have remained in his sole possession ever since. Regarding Ruth’s signed contract itself, Lelands sold it for $2.3 million at auction in 2017.
The hobby fresh 1925 Exhibits Lou Gehrig Rookie Card PSA VG-EX+ 4.5 offered here is a spectacular specimen. A total of 43 Gehrig Exhibit rookies have been graded by PSA and this example is Pop 1 with just nine graded higher. When it comes to eye appeal, this example is off the charts with a clean surface and bright image of a swinging Gehrig against a stadium background.
Additional auction centerpieces include Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Bourque’s five Penguins Stanley Cup championship rings – two as a player, the other three from his career in the broadcast booth – a spectacular Babe Ruth 1928-30 Yankees signed game-used bat PSA 9, and LeBron James’ 2017 Cavaliers game-worn jersey from when he passed Kobe Bryant for youngest to 28,000 points.
The auction also features a 1928 Exhibits Lou Gehrig signed card, the finest Walter Johnson single-signed baseball PSA NM-MT 8, a 1914-15 Cracker Jack Baseball complete set from the Barry Halper Collection, and an extraordinary Lou Gehrig handwritten high school notebook with more than 20 “Gehrig” signatures.
Among other auction highlights are Tom Brady’s first ever NFL TD pass football – tossed in the Patriots final preseason game of Brady’s 2000 rookie season – as well as five Brady signed game-used footballs including his first in 2002, a Joe Burrow photo-matched 2022 Bengals game-worn jersey from his career-high rushing game, and Ronnie Lott’s 1990 49ers Super Bowl XXIV signed game-worn jersey.
The auction also boasts the jersey worn by Aaron Judge during Games 3 and 4 of the 2022 ALCS, the only known Roberto Clemente MLB debut ticket stub, an extremely rare 1919 Reds World Championship player’s pin – the equivalent of World Series ring at the time – and a team-signed ball from that very same Reds team.
Additional auction highlights include:
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The only known Bill Russell NBA debut ticket stub
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A stunning 1947 single-signed Babe Ruth baseball PSA Mint 9 Auto
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A 1951 Mickey Mantle MLB Debut signed PSA Type 1 photo
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A 1981 Michael Jordan UNC Tar Heels NCAA debut ticket stub, and
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Aroldis Chapman’s 2016 Cubs World Series ring ordered for a friend
For more information about the Lelands 2023 Spring Classic Auction, visit https://lelands.com.
