Worthridge Offering ABA Jerseys, Player Collections

In this day where collectors have the opportunity to own pieces of sports memorabilia initially housed among the property of the athletes who wore and won them, comes another chance in the form of Worthridge’s auction that is live now and ends Oct. 25.

Worthridge will offer items from the Bob Shaw Collection, Ray Bray Collection, Bob Ferry Collection and game-worn jerseys from Bill Mechionni, available for viewing now at www.worthridge.com. In addition, Worthridge is offering artifacts dating to the 1919 Cincinnati Reds and relics from the Cleveland Indians 1948 championship.

Going back to the earlier days of the game, Worthridge serves up an original 1919 Cincinnati Reds World Series Champs team photo. The image, 13-1/4-by-8 inches, is from Cincinnati photographer F. Boellinger and features the team that went against the infamous Black Sox. The historic piece comes with a LOA from the estate of longtime Reds catcher Ivey Wingo.

Also featured in the sale, the Wingo Collection includes a 1919 Cincinnati Reds World Series program, original photos of Wingo (who played from 1911-29) and a 1916 Reds team photo postcard featuring Christy Mathewson.

The Ken Keltner Collection celebrates the career of the Cleveland Indians third baseman (1937-50), which includes the club’s last championship in 1948. The auction will feature Keltner’s 1948 championship ring. The size 10 ring belonged to Keltner, a seven-time American League All-Star, who might be best remembered for two brilliant backhanded plays he made on July 17, 1941, that ended Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak.

The Keltner Collection will also feature a 1948 Cleveland Indians World Series Champs team black-and-white photo and other team images dating back to 1938.

Another impressive collection in the sale is the Bill Melchionni Collection, former star of the ABA. After two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, Melchionni would leave Philly for the upstart ABA’s New York Nets. As a Net, he would twice lead the league in assists, win two ABA titles and was named an ABA All-Star three times.

The Melchionni Collection includes the point guard’s game-used 1972-73 ABA All-Star jersey, game-used 1974 ABA Championship N.Y. Nets jersey, game-used 1976 ABA Championship Nets jersey and 1966-67 NBA Champion Philadelphia 76ers game-used road jersey.

The Paul Hornung Collection will feature his Pro Football Hall of Fame bust and related memorabilia from his time in Green Bay, while the Bob Shaw Collection is led by a Ohio State 2002 National Championship ring given to the 1942 title team, of which he was a member, and also includes NFL championship mementoes from his coaching career.

Other football-related highlights include a 1946 NFL Champions Chicago Bears team-signed football, Reggie White’s 1994 Mackey Award for the NFC Lineman of the Year and Oakland Raiders 1967 AFL Champions Super Bowl cuff links.

Game-worn baseball gear includes a Dennis Martinez 1991 Mizuno glove from his perfect game season and Reggie Jackson’s 1987 game-used bat that collected the Hall of Famer’s 1,700th RBI.

Boxing fans will enjoy a Muhammad Ali/Joe Frazier “Fight of the Century” painting by Rahman Ali and a “Foreman vs. Five” original 1975 fight poster touting George Foreman at the Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens.

For more information on this sale, visit www.worthridge.com or call (877) 539-3952.