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Football Cards and Memorabilia
4 Lots
 Lot 15. 1970 Cotton Bowl Commemorative Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust Watch. Texas was fresh from its come-from-behind 15-14 win over #2 ranked Arkansas, in a game known now as “The Big Shoot-out,” when they came to play in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 1971. The victory enabled the Longhorns to remain the top-ranked team in the country. Their #1 ranking alone would have generated plenty of press attention. But there was a larger reason for the intense media coverage. For the first time since 1925, when the Four Horsement defeated Stanford in the Rose Bowl, Notre Dame was making a bowl appearance. Coverage heightened when President Nixon decided to attend. Try as they might, the three surviving Horsemen at the game and a huge crowd of Fighting Irish fans couldn’t bring their team a victory. Although Notre Dame led through much of the game, Texas scored with 1:08 left for a 21-17 victory and a national championship. By many, it is considered one of the best games ever played. In commemoration of his service as Honorary Chairman of this game, the original owner, Walter A. Moore, was given this Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch. This 26-jewel automatic stainless steel watch has a remarkably clean, simply-styled dial with marks rather than numerals, and the date under magnification. In addition to the Rolex name and crown, the Cotton Bowl logo appears at the junction of the hands, and the words “1970 Cotton Bowl Classic” follow the bottom curve of the dial. The back plate is engraved with Moore’s name and is signed “Rolex, Stainless Steel, USA” as well as stamped with the Rolex crown on the clasp. Very attractive and in running condition, the watch shows some evidence of regular wear, and one minor dent and scratch on the clasp. One reporter wrote of this intensely played Cotton Bowl game: “The initial temptation would be to rank the Texas-Arkansas game as tops for the first 100 years of college football, and then start the second centennial running with this one.” Here’s an opportunity to own a piece of this tremendous college football game - and the quality and the collectibility a Rolex all in one fell-swoop!
Winning Bid $1,854.
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 Lot 123. High-Grade 1956 Topps Football Set of 120. An absolutely gorgeous set with all but four cards ex or better. Nm+: #12 Ameche, 49 LeBaron short print, 86 Tittle, 99. 107, 109 sp. Nm: #15, 17 Tunnell, 43, 47 George rookie, 56, 73 sp, 87 Stautner, 104, 112. Ex-m+: #2, 3, 5 Webster rookie, 6 Van Brocklin, 7 Packers team, 9 Groza, 11 Blanda, 16, 19, 27, 29 Kyle Rote, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36 Donovan, 38, 39, 40 Eagles team, 41 Roosevelt Brown rookie, 44 Schmidt rookie, 45 Browns team, 51, 52, 54, 55, 60 Moore rookie, 61 Redskins team sp, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 72, 76, 77 Conerly, 78 Hirsch, 79, 80, 81, 91, 92 Lions team, 93, 96, 100, 101 Grier rookie, 102, 105, 110 Perry, 114 Rams team, 116 Layne, 120 Vessels rookie. Ex-m: #1 Carson sp, 8, 10 sp, 13 Janowicz sp, 18, 20 Christiansen, 23, 25 sp, 46 sp, 48 Colts team, 50 McElhenny, 53 Gifford, 57, 58 Matson sp, 59, 71, 74 Nomellini, 75, 82 sp, 84, 85 sp, 88, 103, 106 sp, 108, 111, 117. Ex+: #4, 14, 21, 24, 28 Bednarik, 37 sp, 70 sp, 83, 89, 90, 94 sp, 97 sp, 98, 115, 119 Bears team. Ex: #26 49ers team, 34 Mann sp, 63 Steelers team, 95, 118 sp. Vg-ex: #22 Cardinals team sp, 42 Fears, 62. Vg: #113 Giants team.
Winning Bid $795.
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 Lot 124. Very Rare 1928 NFL Detroit Program, Broadside with HoF QB Benny Friedman. In the National Football League’s first decade, football franchises quickly arrived and departed. Such was the case with Detroit’s entry in the 1928 NFL, the Wolverines. Actually, they were probably better known as Friedman’s Wolverines than Detroit’s. The team was a one-season wonder that folded because of financial losses – despite success on the field. Friedman led the team to a 7-2-1 record, third best in the 10-team league. By 1928, only his second season in the NFL, he had established himself as one of the league’s best players. In 1928, he led the league in scoring. Tim Mara, owner of the New York Giants, was so impressed with Friedman in 1928 that he bought the Wolverines’ franchise just so he could have the rights to Friedman. In 2005, Friedman was enshrined at Canton. Friedman is featured on the cover of the 12-page 1928 newsprint program, and again on the back. The program is for a game with the Dayton Triangles. The score is written on the cover and inside. There are various notations written by the roster inside. Technically, the program is g-vg. NFL programs from the 1920s very seldom turn up. With Friedman on the cover, this program is a wonderful find. It is made even better by a companion piece, a 6” x 9” newsprint broadside promoting the game. Indicative of a different era, the broadside asks: “Have you ever seen a Chinaman play Football? Then see Dayton with Sneeze Achiu….” Achiu was born in Hawaii. The broadside is ex.
Minimum Bid $500.
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 Lot 125. 1946 College All-Stars Football Signed by Elroy Hirsch, Otto Graham, 40 Others. Crazy Legs Hirsch was the star of the game, which saw the All-Stars upset the Los Angeles Rams, 16-0, at Soldiers Field. The College All-Star Game, which pitted top college graduates against the NFL champion, was played from 1934-76. Hirsch scored both touchdowns in the game, one on a 68 yard run, and the other on a 62-yard pass from Graham. Pat Harder kicked the extra points, and Paul Walker accounted for the two others points with a safety. Besides Hirsch, who signed “Elroy Hirsch,” the ball is signed by J. T. Black, Bill Blackburn, Ernie Blandin, Nick Burke, George Ceithaml, Jake Colhouer, Frank (Boley) Dancewicz, Noble Doss, Bob Fitch, Otto Graham, Bill Garnaas, Bill Godwin, Visco Grgich, Don Griffin, Pat Harder, Bill Harris, Bill Hillenbrand, Ralph Heywood, Bob Hoernschemeyer, Chuck Jacoby, Alex Kapter, Jim Lookabaugh, Bo McMillan (the All-Stars’ coach), Bart Mitchell, Bob Nussbaum, Darrell Palmer, Jimmy Phelan, Jack Russell, Joe Repko, Martin Ruby (team captain), Norm Verry and Paul Walker. The autographs are on a Wilson Official Intercollegiate WRWB black and white football, which has been heavily used. As a result, parts of 10 autographs near the ends of the ball are affected. For example, “Hirsch” grades ex 5 to ex-m 6, but “El” in “Elroy” is barely discernable, and “roy” is light. The autographs range from good 2 to mint 9 and average 5-6. There are no smudges. The Graham signature grades vg 3 to vg-ex 4. The ball is personalized to “Don Evan from College All-Stars 1946.” Whatever this ball lacks in condition is more than make up for by its rarity and character. Maybe there is another somewhere. But more than 97,000 fans attended the game, yet even programs are tough to come by. And as for character, football always has been a rough-and-tumble game. This football nicely matches the nature of the game.
Winning Bid $200.
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