Goldin Auctions will offer Cal Ripken’s first Major League Baseball jersey and the bat used the night he broke Lou Gehrig’s streak when its October Legends auction kicks off Monday.
The items are among the first Ripken pieces to enter the auction block as part of a consignment that includes hundreds of items saved by the Hall of Fame infielder that will be sold over multiple auctions. A portion of all items sold will benefit the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation.
Ripken’s debut jersey dates to August 10, 1981 when manager Earl Weaver inserted him as a pinch-runner in a game against Kansas City. The number 8 had been assigned to him.
“Some guys are particular about their number, but I didn’t care,” he stated in his autobiography several years ago. “ I was just happy to have any major league uniform with any number. In the minors I’d worn 16, 7, 12, and 5, respectively. If I’d thought about it, which I didn’t, I might have preferred 7 with Baltimore, because that was Dad’s number throughout his years managing in the minors.”
Minimum bid for the jersey is $35,000.
Also up for grabs will be the game-used, autographed bat Ripken used in his first at-bat on the night of September 6, 1995 when he broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak at 2,131 games and the jersey from the last game of streak, which ended at 2,632 games in September of 1998. The jersey had been the cornerstone of an exhibit of Ripken memorabilia at the Baseball Hall of Fame. The full uniform he wore on the bench the night after the streak ended and the lineup card for the game that didn’t include his name for the first time since June 5, 1982 are also being sold.Other Ripken items set for sale include several items from his 400th home run, game-used fielders gloves and even his Little League uniform.
A T206 Honus Wagner graded PSA 1 and a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rated PSA 8 will be among the other items up for sale. The auction will conducted in two parts, with Session 1 ending on October 31 consisting of lots 1-417 and Session 2 ending November 1st consisting of lots 418-1911. Bidding will take place at GoldinAuctions.com.
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