Ted Williams’ 1947 Triple Crown award is coming to auction.
Consigned by Williams’ daughter after being on public display for the past several years, the Segram’s-sponsored trophy is expected to fetch a six-figure price tag at SCP Auctions. It’ll be part of the company’s upcoming catalog sale.
The big red “crown” is, of course, the focal point. The base includes a gold plate noting Williams’ home run, RBI and batting average totals.
Williams famously won the Triple Crown that year—but finished second to Joe DiMaggio in the MVP vote after one writer left him completely off his ballot. He was almost traded to the Yankees for DiMaggio prior to the season but the Yankees backed out when Boston asked the Yanks to also include a young Yogi Berra.
The trophy was originally obtained by collector Barry Halper and sold when his collection was liquidated in 1999. The buyer of the trophy at the Halper auction was a friend to Ted and his son, John-Henry Williams. Ted and John-Henry wanted the trophy, and so John Henry and the buyer negotiated terms of a fair trade of items. The trade was made, and the trophy was delivered to the Williams residence.
Ted Williams died in 2002. John-Henry died in 2004 and the trophy wound up in the hands of Ted’s daughter Claudia.
In 2012, she loaned it to the Red Sox for display at Fenway Park, where it remained until this year. Earlier this year, it was loaned to Louisville Slugger Museum for display at its “Heavy Hitters 100th,” which was a centennial celebration of 1918, the year Babe Ruth signed with Louisville Slugger, and the same year Ted Williams was born.
Following the close of the exhibit this summer, she opted to place it up for sale.Bidding will run from November 21-December 8.
Not all valuable vintage cards have been graded. Proof of that here in a 1933 Goudey collection that not only has four “raw” Babe Ruth cards but a Nap Lajoie, too.
They won’t be ungraded for long.
We just took in this amazing raw Goudey collection at a show. Quite a few gems in here, we’ll update the grades once we get them back from @PSAcard pic.twitter.com/K2ntopGzJ9
— Heritage Auctions Sports (@Heritage_Sport) October 1, 2018
National Hobby Shop Day will return on December 8. GTS Distribution is again leading the effort to lure former and current collectors to trading card shops during the holiday season.
By ordering products, store owners will receive autographed memorabilia, free packs, gift cards and other incentives they can offer to the public on Saturday, December 8.
Upper Deck will pass out nearly 20,000 free packs of hockey cards to young people in November. The giveaway will be part of Try Hockey For Free Day, sponsored by USA Hockey and 450 local associations across the U.S.
Kids age 4-9 will be invited to try youth hockey as part of Come Play Hockey Month. Equipment will be available for use.
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