Lot 28. Very Scarce Autograph of Bruce Smith, 1941 Heisman Trophy Winner. Among Heisman winners, only the autographs of Nile Kinnick and possibly Ernie Davis are more difficult to obtain. This example of Smith’s signature in pencil is bold and large, filling a 5” x 3” section of paper from left-to-right. Smith received the Heisman Trophy two days after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Subsequently, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, became a fighter pilot and won Player of the Year honors in Armed Forces football. At the University of Minnesota before WWII, he was a master at breaking free for long-runs. He led the Gophers to consecutive 8-0 seasons and national titles in 1940 and 1941. In the 1941 Iowa game, he sat out the first half with an injury. He played in the second half, however, touching the ball seven times, scoring five touchdowns and leading Minnesota to a 34-13 win. He was the MVP of the 1942 College All-Star Game. After WWII, he played four seasons in the NFL, with Green Bay and the LA Rams. He was only 47 when cancer claimed his life in 1967. After cancer was diagnosed, he spent several months visiting young cancer patients with Rev. William Cantwell. By the time he passed away in December, he had lost more than half of his body weight. For his service to the children he visited, Rev. Cantwell nominated Smith for sainthood. Smith’s signature is a10 authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $1,716.
Lot 29. Rare 1941 Bruce Smith (Heisman Winner) Photo Signed by 10 Minnesota Teammates! Dated Sept. 10, 1941, this 8” x 10” b&w photo pictures Smith flanked on each side by five of his Gophers teammates. A flashy halfback, he led Minnesota to undefeated national championships in 1940 and 1941. His 1941 performance earned him the Heisman Trophy. The photo is autographed by Bob Fitch, Warren Plunkett, Bill Daley, Dick Wildung (died 2006), Bob Sweiger (d. 1975), Leonard Levy (d. 1999), Gene Flick, Helge Pukema (d. 2004), Urb Odson (d. 1986) and Bill Baumgartner (d. 1981). Smith did not sign. After college, he and eight of these teammates eventually played pro football. Smith, Wildung and Odson all took the field for Green Bay. The Packers drafted Pukema and Flick, but they did not play. Plunkett and Levy each spent a season with Cleveland, and Daley, Sweiger and Baumgartner had brief careers in the AAFC. The photo is heavily creased throughout. The autographs are nm-m 8 to gem mint 10 and have been authenticated by Kevin Keating. Smith’s autograph, which is extremely scarce, is offered immediately above. His autograph and this signed photo, which may very well be unique, will make excellent companion pieces!
Winning Bid $180.
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 96. Dan Marino Signed “Sports Illustrated” Cover. Bold gem mint 10 signature on the cover of the “Pro Football Hall of Fame Edition,” on display from Aug. 20-Oct. 28, 2008. Kevin Keating authenticated the autograph, and John has provided a signed letter stating that the item is from his collection. The cover is professionally matted and framed, preventing us from determining whether the full “SI” issue is present.
Winning Bid $68.
Lot 97. Bernie Kosar Boldly Signed Cleveland Browns Wilson Prestige Teams Jersey. Kosar’s signature on his number on the back of the size 48 jersey is a very large gem mint 10. In 1983, Kosar helped the Miami Hurricanes to win their first national championship. Playing for the Browns from 1985-93, he made the Pro Bowl in 1988. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Dallas Cowboys in 1993. Tommy John added Kosar’s jersey to his collection because he saw the quarterback as someone like him – a person who had to work hard to be successful. The jersey comes with an authentication letter “From the Desk of Tommy John” and has been authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $248.
Lot 219. Vince Lombardi Signed 1960 Green Bay Packers Check. In nine seasons, the legendary Hall of Fame coach led the Packers to five NFL championships. He died in 1970. His signature is a 10 on a Packers’ check dated Sept. 8, 1960. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $484.
Lot 220. Super Bowl Ticket Poster with 29 Autographs – Meredith, Maynard, Swann, Dawson, Etc. This 23” x 31” poster celebrates 30 years of Super Bowls by reproducing the tickets from each. The poster has been signed by Deacon Jones, Ray Nitschke (died 1998), Bob Lilly (3 times), Len Dawson (2), Don Meredith (2) (d. 2010), Don Maynard, Lynn Swann (4), Ray Guy (3), John Hannah, Harry Carson, Bill Ard (2), George Martin (2), Pepper Johnson (2), Stephen Baker, Carl Banks, Greg Jackson and two others. The autographs range from nm-m 8 to gem mint 10 and have been authenticated by Kevin Keating. The poster is vg. Fourteen Hall of Fame autographs and two Meredith signatures as well could be yours for as little as our
Winning Bid $110.
Lot 221. Baltimore Colts Full-Sized Pennant Boldly Autographed by Raymond Berry (HoF). When he concluded his NFL career in 1967, Berry led the league in receptions with 631. Most of the passes came from Johnny Unitas. He and Unitas formed one of the most effective quarterback-receiver duos in NFL history. His signature is mint 9, with “HOF ‘73” added, on an ex (several tack holes) 1960s-70s pennant. Authenticated by Kevin Keating. An outstanding display item!
Winning Bid $75.
Lot 222. John Cappelletti – 1973 Heisman Trophy Winner – Autographed Mini Helmet. The only Penn State player to receive the award, Cappelletti placed a bold gem mint 10 signature and “’73 Heisman” on a Nittany Lions mini helmet. Kevin Keating authenticated the signature. Cappelletti was also named UPI’s 1973 Player of the Year and earned the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Award. Perhaps his highest honor, however, came from his coach, Joe Paterno, who called him “the best football player I ever coached.” Cappelletti was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $40.
Lot 223. Jim Finks (HoF) Autographed Typed 1978 Letter on Chicago Bears Letterhead. Finks had a decent career as a quarterback for poor 1950s Pittsburgh Steelers teams before distinguishing himself as an executive with the Minnesota Vikings, Bears and New Orleans Saints. He died in 1994. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame the following year. His signature, as the Bears’ executive vice president and general manager, is a 10 of 10 on 5 ½” x 8 ½” stationery that has not been folded. The mailing envelope accompanies the letter. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $198.
Lot 224. Red Grange (HoF) Autographed 1950s Newspaper Photo Showing Him with George Halas. Grange was the biggest football star of the 1920s. Both he and Halas were members of the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame class in 1963. The 8” x 10” b&w photo, ex with some light discoloration in the center at the top, is from the files of the “Philadelphia Inquirer.” Grange’s signature is nm-m 8 to min 9, shows some evidence of his advanced age and is Authenticated by Kevin Keating. Grange passed away in 1991. The photo itself of these two football pioneers is worth our
Minimum Bid $100.
Lot 225. Clarke Hinkle (HoF) Signed Handwritten 1971 Letter with Excellent Football Content. In 1941, after 10 seasons as the Green Bay Packers’ fullback, Hinkle retired as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. He is a member of the Pro (1964) and College (1971) Football Halls of Fame. Offered here is THE ONLY KNOWN HANDWRITTEN HINKLE LETTER THAT CARRIES HIS FULL SIGNATURE, which is a gem mint 10. In the letter, Hinkle discusses the 1939 Packers’ team, including Arnie Herber, writes about the character of the players of his era and quotes Arch Ward after the Packers defeated the 1940 College All-Stars: “Pro football has finally arrived!” He also mentions the key players on the 1932 Green Bay team, including Hubbard, McNally, Herber and Michalske, and describes Milt Gantenbein as “the greatest blocking tight end who ever lived.” Hinkle wrote the letter from Toronto, OH, where he passed away in 1988. Outstanding letter and signature! Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $134.
Lot 226. 3 Bronko Nagurski (HoF) Autographed Photos. A charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Nagurski played fullback and offensive and defensive for the University of Minnesota and the Chicago Bears. He is in the College HoF as well, and each year, the Bronko Nagurski award is presented to the NCAA’s best defensive football player. In 1999, “The Sporting News” rated him as the 35th greatest football player of all time. He is the only player selected for the Pro Bowl at three different positions. After his football career ended, he became a successful wrestler. Nagurski’s autographs are on three photos in a 1973 magazine article titled “Bronko Nagurski: The Living Legend” by John Wiebusch, Vince Lombardi’s biographer. All of the photos are about 4.5” x 7”. The football pioneer signed a photo showing him as a Golden Gophers ball carrier, as a Bear and as a civilian in a suit. Two of the autographs are gem mint 10s, and one is a 9. Nagurski passed away in 1990. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $134.
Lot 227. Jerry Rice (HoF) Autograph on an Oakland Raiders Commemorative Football. Mint 9 signature by the wide receiver, who spent the last four years of his 20-season Hall of Fame career with the Raiders. Rice is generally regarded as the best wide receiver in NFL history. In fact, the NFL Network’s NFL Films believes he is the BEST PLAYER in the league’s history. He holds most of the career records for wide receivers. Rice autographed a panel of the ball. Another panel has the Raiders’ logo and lists the championships garnered by the team since its days in the AFL. The ball shows light box rubbing along one seam and a minor manufacturing imperfection. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Minimum Bid $75.
