Lot 36. 2 Tommy John Signed Game-Used Baseballs from 1985 California Angels Victories. John won two games with the Angels in 1985. His first victory came on April 28 at Seattle’s Kingdome. He pitched 5.2 innings in a 2-1 triumph. In a rare relief appearance, he captured his second win on May 11 at County Stadium. Relieving Mike Witt, he pitched 1.2 scoreless innings against Milwaukee, and the Angels won, 6-5. Donnie Moore pitched the final inning. On each Bobby Brown OAL ball, the score on the sweet spot and the date on the north panel. His autographs, each on the south panel, are mint 9 to gem mint 10 authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $148.
Lot 37. Tommy John Signed Baseballs, One Game-Used, Commemorating His Oakland A’s Wins. Released by the Angels on June 19, 1985, John signed with the Athletics on July 12. Two weeks later, on July 26, he posted his first victory in an A’s uniform, 7-3 over Milwaukee. He pitched six innings, surrendering four hits and an unearned run. The Yankees were his second and last victim with Oakland. Going seven scoreless innings and giving up only three hits on Aug. 27, he defeated former and future teammate Ron Guidry. The score is on the sweet spot of each OAL Bobby Brown baseball, and the date, on the north panel. John autographed the south panel of each. Kevin Keating authenticated the signatures, which are mint 9 to gem mint 10. The ball for the July 26 game is ex-m. The Aug. 27 ball is game-used.
Minimum Bid $150.
Lot 38. 2 Signed Baseballs Marking Tommy John’s 4th and 5th Wins for the 1987 Yankees. The ball for the fourth win on May 25 is game-used. John pitched 6.1 innings and yielded two earned runs in a 6-3 win over the Angels at Anaheim Stadium. The OAL Brown ball has an incorrect date of May 15 on the sweet spot; the game was actually on May 25. Often, game balls were put aside and marked later in the season. The ball has the Yankees’ score on the north panel, and the Angels’, on the south. John signed the north panel. He earned his fifth win, for a 5-1 record, on May 31 against the A’s at Yankee Stadium. Pitching six innings, he gave up five hits and two runs. The Yankees won, 9-5. John commemorated the victory on an nm (very minor discoloration spots) Brown ball, which has the date on the north panel, the score on the sweet spot and “Win #5” on the south. He signed the north panel. Kevin Keating authenticated both signatures, which are mint 9 to gem mint 10.
Winning Bid $121.
Lot 39. George Steinbrenner Signed Letter Praising Tommy John. In a typed Sept. 12, 1984 letter on his New York Yankees’ letterhead, Steinbrenner recommend John for an award from the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge. In part, he writes, “I think Tommy John, not only as a competitor on the ball field, but as a person and a citizen, exemplifies the highest level of citizenship, conduct and religious belief of perhaps any athlete I have known.” He asserts that he is well qualified to judge whether John deserves such an award because “at times Tommy and I have been in somewhat adversarial positions with each other. But when I put petty things aside, and stop to consider the values, beliefs and actions of the man, he is an exceptional young man.” He also says that since elbow surgery, John “has probably been one of the 10 most-effective pitchers in the American League.” Steinbrenner’s signature at the close of this uncommon letter of praise is a 10. Authentication by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $390.
Lot 40. Tommy Lasorda Letter Recommending Tommy John for a Freedom Foundations Award. In a typed, signed 1984 letter on Dodgers’ stationery, Lasorda describes John as “a perfect example of what we look for in a man. He is a rare combination of a true professional and a gracious man.” The Dodgers’ manager also writes that John “is as competitive as anyone you will find” and that he “was as gracious after a loss as he was after a win.” In 1984, the Orange County Chapter of the Freedoms Foundation nominated John for a Freedoms Foundation Award in recognition of his exemplary citizenship and community service. Lasorda’s signature, authenticated by Kevin Keating, is mint 9.
Winning Bid $100.
Lot 41. Letter Signed by Tommy John Surgeon Frank Jobe, Photo with Jobe Signed by John. Dr. Jobe performed the revolutionary surgery that averted a premature end to John’s career. On Sept. 25, 1974, he removed the injured ulnar collateral ligament from John’s pitching arm and replaced it with a tendon from his right forearm. After 18 difficult months of recovery and rehabilitation, John became the first professional athlete to receive the surgery. Subsequently, the procedure became known as “Tommy John Surgery.” In a Sept. 4, 1984 letter, Dr. Jobe supports John for a Freedoms Foundation Award. He was nominated for the award by the Orange County Chapter of the foundation. In the letter, Jobe credits John for the success of the surgery: “Even though the operation was a good one, the results wouldn’t have been successful without his long hours of work and, most of all, his optimistic attitude. Many athletes take their physical prowess for granted and, when they sustain a serious injury, are unable to apply themselves to the tedious work of rehabilitation necessary if they are to reattain their previous level of competence. This is not true of Tommy John; he never wavered in his determination.” He also credits John with helping “us in developing appropriate programs for other players with this problem.” Jobe’s signature at the close of the two-page letter is gem mint 10. With the letter is an 8” x 10” color photo of Jobe with John and Orel Hersheiser. Jobe performed rotator cuff surgery on Hersheiser. John placed a large autograph that rates a 10 on the photo. Kevin Keating authenticated the autographs.
Winning Bid $1,491.
Lot 42. Gene Autry Signed Letter Supporting Tommy John for a Freedoms Foundation Award. John was nominated for an award in 1984 by the Orange County Chapter of the Freedoms Foundation in recognition of his responsible citizenship and community service. In the Sept. 26, 1984 typed letter on California Angels’ stationery, Autry commends John as “a true gentleman, both on and off the field, a fine family man, and a responsible citizen.” He added that “I think he totally represents a fine upstanding American citizen.” Autry’s signature is a large, bold 10 authenticated by Kevin Keating. The “Singing Cowboy” owned the Angels from 1961-97. John played for Autry from 1982-85.
Winning Bid $148.
Lot 43. 16 Letters Signed by Baseball and Other Figures Supporting John’s Award Nomination. In 1984, the Orange County Chapter of the Freedoms Foundation nominated Tommy for a Freedoms Foundation Award. Each year, the organization honors Americans from all walks of life who set examples in responsible citizenship, free enterprise education and long-term civic accomplishment. Tommy’s life and his accomplishments are extolled in letters of support by Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, New York Yankees Vice President and General Manager Clyde King, Carl Erskine, Al Rosen (secretarial signature) and various other leaders. A number of religious leaders supported the nomination, including Robert Schuller (“Hour of Power”) and religious author, pastor and executive O. S. Hawkins. Other letters are signed by Dave Anderson, “New York Times” sports columnist; Will Grimsley, special correspondent for the Associated Press; John Myers, U.S. Congressman representing Indiana’s 7th District; Lareau Londquist, president of the Institute of Holy Land Studies; Richard G. Landini, president of Indiana State University, and Hugh A. Barker, chairman of Public Service Indiana. In addition, there is one-page statement signed by John outlining his philosophy of life. The Kuhn letter is on Office of the Commissioner stationery, and the King letter, on Yankees’ letterhead. Erskine’s signature is on 1st National Bank of Madison County (IN) letterhead. The autographs, almost all mint 9s or gem mint 10s, have been authenticated by Kevin Keating. John’s signature is a large, bold 10. The letters are presented in a 13” x 15” leather portfolio with John’s name on the front. The portfolio also contains articles on John and photos of his family. In addition, there is a 1984 letter from the National Father’s Day Committee recognizing John as a recipient of a “Father of the Year” Award. A newspaper photo shows him at award ceremonies with other awardees, including Sen. Bill Bradley, Willard Scott, the TV weatherman, and Peter Jennings, the ABC News anchor. The portfolio holds 60 pages of letters and information.
Winning Bid $163.
Lot 44. Tommy John 1973 “Most Improved Dodger Pitcher” Award Trophy. Presented by the Go-Go-Dodgers Fan Club of Los Angeles, this impressive trophy stands 35” tall. The base is 12” wide and 9” deep. In 1972, his first season in LA, John did well enough, winning 11 games and losing only five. He improved to 16-7 with the N.L.’s best winning percentage in 1973. The trophy comes with a signed letter “From the Desk of Tommy John.”
Winning Bid $218.
Lot 45. Tommy John 1976 “Freeway Series” Lefty Phillips Memorial Trophy. Before interleague competition, the Angels and Dodgers of the Los Angeles area met annually in one or more exhibition games. John was honored as the “Outstanding Pitcher” of the 1976 series. The trophy is 22.5” tall with a base that is 7” wide and 3.5” deep. Phillips was a pitching coach for the Dodgers and managed the Angels. The handsome trophy comes with a letter signed by John stating that it is from his collection.
Winning Bid $110.
Lot 46. Tommy John 1963 Eastern League Champions Watch. In 1963, John helped Charleston to capture the AA Eastern League championship with a 9-2 record. For their success, he and his teammates received Hamilton watches that have two banners across the face. One says “Eastern League,” and the other, “Champions 1963.” Still working, at least intermittently, as it turns through its 48th year, the wind-up watch lacks a wrist band and is not engraved. It is an important, early memento from the early days of John’s outstanding professional baseball career. It comes with a with a letter of authenticity signed by John.
Winning Bid $100.
Lot 47. Tommy John American League “Player of the Week” Watch for May 5-11, 1980. John started the 1980 season strong and finished it with a 22-9 record for the Yankees. The Swiss-made watch from the Lafayette Co. has the American League logo and “Player of the Week” on the face, and Tommy John May 5-11, 1980” engraved on the latch for the band. It appears to be unused and seems to work. It comes with a letter of authenticity signed by John.
Winning Bid $332.
Lot 48. 1991 Crown Royal Award Program Signed by John, Rudolph, Bleier and Blatnick. In 1991, Crown Royal presented Achievement Awards to six athletes who “have beaten physical challenges to reach the very peak of success in their chose sport. They had to dig deeper, try harder, leap over one more hurdle” to achieve success. Four of the award recipients each signed the page with his or her photo or biography: Wilma Rudolph, who won three gold medals at the 1960 Olympics, the first U.S. woman to do so; Jeff Blatnick, 1984 Greco-Roman wrestling super heavyweight Olympic gold medalist; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier and Tommy John. Rudolph passed away in 1994. Kevin Keating authenticated the autographs, which are nm-m 8 to gem mint 10. The program is ex with a tiny stain on the front cover.
Minimum Bid $50.
Lot 49. Crown Royal Achievement Award Litho Signed by John, Rudolph, Bleier and 3 Others. The lithograph is signed by Wilma Rudolph (died 1994), Tommy John, Scott Hamilton, Rocky Bleier, Jeff Blatnick and Jimmie Heuga. Crown Royal honored the first five signers for overcoming significant physical challenges to achieve success in their respective sports. Proceeds from the dinner benefitted the Jimmie Heuga Center, established to help individuals with multiple sclerosis to live fuller and more normal lives through exercise and activity. Before being struck with M.S., Heuga was a champion skier. He was one of the first two U.S. men to win Olympic medals in skiing. He passed away last year. The autographs, authenticated by Kevin Keating, are large and bold, mint 9 or gem mint 10. The lithograph is framed without glass to 25” x 32.75”.
Winning Bid $100.
Lot 50. LA Dodgers’ Appreciation Award by Tiffany & Co. to Tommy John. The oval leaded glass award, with a diameter of approximately 4.75”, depicts Dodger Stadium and has a facsimile autograph of Peter O’Malley. Text around the rim expresses “great appreciation” to John “for your dedicated service with the Los Angeles Dodgers.” Mint. The award comes with a signed letter “From the Desk of Tommy John.”
Winning Bid $273.
