October Legends Closing November 1
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/2/2014
On August 15, 1961 Whitey Ford was going for his 21st win, but was beaten by the Chicago White Sox 2-1, with the only Yankee run coming off the bat of Roger Maris for his 46th home run of that record breaking season. The creamy-toned OAL Cronin ball has multiple inscribed panels with the game results. The ball reads, “THE RAJAH HIT HIS 46th ROCKET - CHICAGO BEAT WHITEY FORD AND YANKEES 2-1” on the panels adjacent to the stamp. The other panels read “FORD LOST HIS 3RD GAME. He was going for his 21st win” and “H.R. DERBY - MARIS 46 MANTLE 45 - RUTH DID NOT HIT HIS 46TH UNTIL SEPT. 6”. The writing is done in blue ballpoint pen with some parts written over twice. The ball is accompanied by a LOA dated “5/6/93” from Louis Avon, who states that he “personally caught this foul tip ball off the bat of Roger Maris in 1961 at Yankee Stadium. Whitey Ford lost his 3rd game, and Roger hit a homer for the Yankee’s only run of the game”. The Mr. Avon was a well-known huge New York Yankee fan and memorabilia collector during the early days of the hobby in the 1970s and 1980s. He was also Vice-President of the Mickey Mantle Collectors Club and was a personal friend of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Great game ball from Roger Maris’ 46th Home Run game.