Ruth, Speaker balls headline Mastro Classic Collector

The auction powerhouse Mastro Auctions will initiate its 2008 auction calendar with a massive selection of high-end sports and Americana items.

According to Doug Allen, the Spring Classic Collector event will set the stage for the rest of the Mastro Auctions’ events in 2008.

“It has been evident that our Classic Collector auctions have become something the hobby counts on,” said Allen. “Throughout 2008, we will continue to focus on both the needs and wants of our expanding customer base. But, we know that great material is just one part of that equation. That’s why in addition to the best items on earth, Mastro Auctions will continue to bring the highest degree of service, expertise and knowledge that is available in the industry directly to the collecting public.”

More than 1,300 lots in the February Classic Collector auction will open with a minimum bid of $100. Bidding, conducted entirely over the Internet, began Feb. 11 and concludes on Feb. 28. Specific highlights include:

Single-signed balls from Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker and Roberto Clemente.
Team-signed balls from the 1935 Yankees (Ruth and Gehrig); 1961 Yankees (Mantle and Maris); 1936 AL and NL All-Stars multi-signed (21 signatures, with Gehrig, Dizzy Dean and Jimmie Foxx); and a pre-1933 ONL multi-signed ball (Ruth, Cobb, Williams and Young).
Graded cards – 1953 Topps Mantle PSA 7, 1952 Topps Willie Mays PSA 6, 1933 Goudey Ruth No. 144 PSA 5, 1952 Bowman Stan Musial PSA 8, 1917-20 M101-6 Sporting News/Felix Mendelsohn Ruth SGC 30, 1916 D350-1 Standard Biscuit Joe Jackson GAI 2, 1915 Cracker Jack Amos Strunk SGC 88, 1966 Topps Hoyt Wilhelm PSA 10 (1 of 2), 1934 Goudey Hal Trosky SGC 88, 1909-11 T206 White Border Walter Johnson Portrait PSA 5, and a 1909-11 T206 White Border Fred “Nodgrass” error SGC 30
Sets – complete sets of 1954-75 Topps Baseball in individual lots, a run of Topps sets from 1976-99 and a 1934 Goudey Premiums near set with original envelope
Equipment – 1960-66 Roger Maris game-used cap, 2007 David Ortiz game-worn Red Sox home jersey and a 1968 Joe DiMaggio game-worn Oakland A’s coach’s road jersey
Signed Items – 1958 World Series Foes signed by Aaron and Mantle, 1876 Alexander Cartwright signed payment voucher, 1941 Play Ball Joe DiMaggio PSA 9, Hugh Duffy signed photo, 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers team-signed World Series program,1948 Ruth signed and personalized photo, 1955 Dodgers team-signed yearbook, 1955 Boston Sports Lodge Awards signed dinner program, 1951 Bowman Willie Mays signed rookie card, 1950 W576 Callahan Hall of Fame Jimmie Foxx signed card and a 1953 All-Star Game multi-signed program with Mantle and Williams
Miscellaneous – 1956 World Series Perfect Game score program, 1958-62 Hartland figures collection (9), rare 1930s Ruth carnival prize figure, 1910 Schmelzer’s Sporting Goods Hank Gowdy pinback PSA 8, 1911 World Series program, 1948 “Babe Ruth Day” stadium pin with hangar, 1939 All-Star Game program, 1913 Philadelphia A’s World Series program, three strands of Babe Ruth’s hair and 1974 Hall of Fame Induction Day Bats (5)
Football – 1917 University of Illinois panorama, 1951 Bowman Tom Fears SGC 96, 1967-2007 Super Bowl I through XL PSA-graded tickets, 1962 New York Giants team-signed football and a 1954 Ohio State NCAA Champions team-signed football
Basketball – Wilt Chamberlain signed official Spalding basketball, 1984 Milwaukee Bucks program (Jordan’s first game), 1961-62 Fleer high-grade cards of Bob Pettit, Oscar Robertson and Jack Twyman, 1970-71 Hawthorne Milk Chicago Bulls Jerry Sloan and Hakeem Olajuwon 1990-91 NBA Blocked Shots Champion Award
Other sports – 1910 E75 American Caramel “Prize Fighters Caramels” complete master set, 1919 Jack Dempsey signed Willard-Dempsey fight ticket, 1890s to 1940s boxing and entertainment photo collection (201), 1912-13 C57 Hockey graded partial set, 1960-61 Parkhurst Gordie Howe PSA 9 and 1962-63 Parkhurst Howe PSA 9
Americana – 1860-80s presidential campaign ballots collection 99), 1940 “Foward With Roosevelt” campaign posters collection (12), 1860 Lincoln/Hamlin campaign ferrotype and rare Lincoln portrait campaign ribbon (2), 1850s Lincoln signed legal pleading, 1871 Ulysses S. Grant signed pardon document, 1955 John F. Kennedy signed letter on Senate stationery, 1889 Robert Todd Lincoln handwritten letter, and a Nov. 3, 1948, Chicago Daily Tribune “Dewey Defeats Truman” full newspaper
Entertainment – 1923 Harry Houdini signed and personalized photograph, 19th-century Lillian Russell collection (20), 1962 Topps “Mars Attacks” complete set, 1965 Topps “Battle” full uncut sheet with two complete sets, 1966 Topps “Funny Rings” complete set and two sets that were No. 1 on the PSA Set Registry: 1924 Godfrey Phillips “Cinema Stars – Circular” complete set and 1955 Barbers Tea “Cinema and Television Stars”

For more information or to register, go to www.mastroauctions.com. Bidding ends Feb. 28.

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