A cap once donned by Lou Gehrig sold for over $77,000 in the Lelands May catalog sale.
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig cards and memorabilia rarely disappoint and rare pieces of game worn items originating with the Yankee legends often attract crowds of well-heeled bidders.
A blue Yankees cap attributed to the Iron Horse sold for $77,496 at Lelands.com‘s catalog sale which closed early Saturday morning. 11 bids were placed on the cap and the final realized price includes a 19.5% buyer’s premium paid by winning bidders.
It’s believed Gehrig presented the cap to one of his doctors at the Mayo Clinic during one of his 1939 visits. Gehrig was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis while at the Clinic and Dr. Paul O’Leary continued to treat him. The two exchanged letters about his condition in the months that followed. Gehrig died in 1941.
A Babe Ruth game used bat dating from 1929 or 1930 also drew heavy interest from bidders in the auction. It sold for $68,196 after 12 bids were entered.
Two significant game-worn pieces brought fans of two different sports to the table. A 1970 New York Mets home jersey once worn by a young Nolan Ryan sold for $53,535 while a 1970 Bobby Orr NHL All Star jersey sold for $45,388.
Two World Series rings generated over $85,000 in bids. A 2004 Boston Red Sox model brought $45,388 while Darryl Strawberry’s 1999 Yankees ring sold for $40,220 and included a letter of authenticity from Strawberry.
Two notable autographed items included a 1916 Eddie Plank three page hand-written letter which generated a realized price of $27,469 and a Ty Cobb single signed baseball ($28,180).
A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, graded SGC 70, highlighted a small quantity of vintage baseball card lots available, bringing a price of $17,055.
