Rizzuto’s 1957 MVP plaque tops items in GMRS aucti

Phil Rizzuto's 1950 MVP plaque, presented to him by the Baseball Writers Association of America, sold for $175,500 to lead the way in the Sept. 12-13 auction by Geppi's Memorabilia Road Show. The auction was headlined by several items belonging to the Hall of Fame shortstop, as well as items from the personal memorabilia collection from Rusty Staub.

Rizzuto's 1953 World Series ring, representing the Yankees' fifth consecutive world championship, went for $32,175. His 1996 ring, from his last year as a Yankees broadcaster, went for $29,250, and his 1978 ring, from the Yankees' "Bucky Dent" comeback season, went for $23,400.

An original Leroy Neiman painting of Rizzuto bunting sold for $21,060, while a Yogi Berra catcher's mitt, specially constructed to Berra's specifications, sold for $23,400.

A Rizzuto Yankee cap that is more than a half a century old, but still containing a wad of chewed gum on the cap (a Rizzuto trademark), sold for $8,190.

Among items apart from The Rizzuto Collection, a signed Babe Ruth baseball went for $29,250 and a 1911 Boston uniform complete with jersey, pants, socks, a mitt, and a player contract, sold for $15,210.