October Legends Closing November 1
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/2/2014
In the glory days of New York baseball when the Giants, Dodgers and Yankees vied for the hearts of the Big Apple’s baseball fans, at least one of the three teams appeared in the World Series every year during the 1950's. The 1952 New York Giants finished in second place with a 92-62 record, 4.5 games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers. One of the reasons would have to be the absence of Willie Mays, the apple of manager Leo Durocher’s eye; who missed most of the season due to military service. Mays won the Rookie of the Year award in the Giants spectacular 1951 pennant winning season when second baseman Bobby Thompson his famous “shot heard ‘round the world,” clinching the National League pennant for the Giants in a tie-breaking game against the cross-town rival Dodgers. Both Mays and Thompson signed this Spalding Official Warren Giles National League Ball that carries 24 signatures from the 1952 Giants including Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm as well as: George Bamburger, Max Lanier, Chuck Diering, Dave Koslo, Ray Katt, Don Muller, George Spencer, Larry Jansen, Whitey Lockman, Alvin Dark, Bill Howerton, Wes Westrum, Hank Thompson, George Wilson, Bill Rigney, Davey Williams, Sal Maglie, Daryl Spencer, Monte Kennedy, Bob Elliott, and fading stamp of Leo Durocher’s signature on the sweet spot above an inscription reading: “To Mick Swirly.” All signatures are in green ballpoint pen and are highly legible; comes with JSA LOA.