Baseball, presidential history come alive at EAC

Larry Rosenbaum, president of EAC Gallery has never offered a single-signed baseball of James Corbett – until now.
That piece, along with a stellar collection of vintage sports memorabilia and presidential signatures, highlights the current EAC Gallery auction that ends July 24.

Sports memorabilia
The Corbett-signed ball is of the legendary late-19th-century/early 20th-century American boxer known as “Gentleman Jim.” Corbett won the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship from John L. Sullivan in 1892. The baseball is sweetspot single signed and dated “Jim Corbett Aug 28/1932.” The ball has a $2,000 starting bid.

Another highlighted item is a circa 1920s banjo purportedly given to Ruth by his wife, with secretarial ownership signature “Babe Ruth” on banjo head. The banjo was later obtained by famed collector Barry Halper, who in 1980s had the banjo head signed by the original 11 500 Home Run Club members: Mantle, Williams, Mathews, Mays, Aaron, Robinson, Schmidt, Killebrew, Jackson, Banks and McCovey, along with Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Yogi Berra and Eddie Murray. In addition, the rear of banjo head is signed by eight 1924 Pittsburgh Pirates, including Rabbit Maranville. This piece also has a starting bid of $2,000.

Another Ruth-related items is an Oct. 16, 1940, visually striking “Academy of Sport New York World’s Fair” certificate signed “Babe Ruth” as “INSTRUCTOR IN BASEBALL.” The certificate is also signed by famed sports agent “Christy Walsh” as “DIRECTOR OF SPORTS” and college football Hall of Famer “Banks McFadden” as “INSTRUCTOR IN FOOTBALL.”

The EAC sale also has numerous autographed baseballs, including examples from Jimmie Foxx, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Sandy Koufax and a ball signed by both Lou Gehrig and Al Simmons.
Another autographed ball features signatures of several early Hall of Famers, including Hugh Jennings, Ross Youngs, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Hank Wilson, Frankie Frisch, Travis Jackson, Bill Terry, George Kelly and Bucky Harris.

There will also be 1937 and 1938 World Champion N.Y. Yankees team-signed balls available in the auction.

However, baseballs aren’t the only coveted autographed items in the sale. EAC will also be offering a Mantle autographed bat, Lou Gehrig signed letter, Koufax signed home plate, 1969 World Champion New York Mets autographed batting helmet and a 1950 Queens County Youth Athletic Center Testimonial Dinner program signed by both Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella.

Notable game-used items include a signed Gaylord Perry 1983 Seattle Mariners jersey from his 309th win, a Goose Goslin (1900-71) jersey and examples from Randy Johnson and Derek Jeter.

Presidential items
When it comes to EAC Gallery, bidders will also find plenty of historical artifacts in the catalog, ranging from presidents to movie stars.

In this sale, the presidential items are en masse. One of the top pieces is a George Washington war-dated document signed, “General and Commander in Chief of the Forces of the United States of America.” The document dates to 1873.

EAC also has an Abraham Lincoln autograph war-dated endorsement signed as president. The document is a pardon letter signed in 1863. This is one of numerous Lincoln artifacts in the sale, including one piece written just weeks after his inauguration.

There are also items related to John F. Kennedy, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Nixon and Harry Truman.
Another interesting piece is a ball signed by four original Mercury astronauts – Gus Grissom, Alan Shepard, Wally Schirra and Scott Carpenter.

For more information on this sale, contact EAC Gallery at (516) 365-0600, or visit www.eacgallery.com.