Lot 27. Tommy John’s 1986 New York Yankees Contract. On May 2, John signed a contract with the Yankees as a free agent. His signature, as Thomas E. John Jr., is on the contract twice, along with Woody Woodward’s (twice) and Robert Fishel (once) for A.L. president Bobby Brown. Fishel, who died in 1988, was the league’s executive vice president. Woodward held the same title with the Yankees. Kevin Keating authenticated the signatures, which are mint 9. Woodward, as “Woody,” also signed a May 20 transmittal letter sending John his copy of the contract.
Winning Bid $134.
Lot 28. Tommy John’s 1987 New York Yankees Contract. John inked a contract for the 1987 season for $300,000. That’s the equivalent of about $615,000 in 2012 dollars, or about 30 percent more than the current major league MINIMUM salary. John, as Thomas E. John Jr., and Woody Woodward, the Yankees’ general manager, each signed the contract twice. They and Robert E. Quinn also put their signatures to a list of “special covenants.” Quinn signed as a witness; he succeeded Woodard as GM. Robert Fishel, the A.L. executive vice president, signed for Bobby Brown, the league president. The signatures are mint 9. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $148.
Lot 29. Tommy John’s 1988 New York Yankees Contract. The contract and addendum have a total of three autographs by John, as Thomas E. John Jr., and Yankees vice president Robert E. Quinn. Robert Fishel, the A.L. executive vice president, signed the contract for Bobby Brown, the league president. As a witness, Lou Piniella also signed the addendum, as well as a letter transmitting to John “Billy Martin’s 1988 New York Yankees’ Rules & Regulations for both Spring Training and the Regular Season.” A copy of the rules is included. As “Bob,” Quinn signed a letter transmitting the contract to John. Mint 9 signatures, with authentication by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $163.
Lot 30. Tommy John’s Final Major League Contract and 1989 Release Form and Notices. In a game against the Kansas City Royals, John recorded his 288th and final major league victory on April 27. One month and three days later, the Yankees notified him of his unconditional release. John signed his contract for the season, as Thomas E. John Jr., on March 29. The contract is signed also by Robert E. Quinn, the Yankees’ general manager, and Robert W. Brown, the A.L. president. Quinn also signed the “Notice to Player of Release or Transfer” and two copies of a letter notifying John that he had been placed on irrevocable waivers. The autographs are mint 9. There also is a June 2 Western Union Mailgram notifying John that he contract had not been claimed by another club. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $163.
Lot 49. CORRECTED DESCRIPTION: 1930 British American Tobacco (B.A.T.) Babe Ruth Card. We originally described this Babe Ruth card as one of 25 cards in Churchman's 1929 “Sports & Games in Many Lands” set. It's actually from the B.A.T. 1930 set with the same title. The B.A.T. set, which also contains 25 cards, uses the same photo on the front as Churchman and the same description on the back. The manufacturer is not identified, a common B.A.T. practice. Price guide values and other factors indicate that the B.A.T. set is less common than its Churchman cousin. The card grades ex+.
Winning Bid $152.
Lot 110. Mickey Mantle 2002 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Card Graded MINT 9 by PSA. This Ultimate Swatches card, identified as JF-MM, contains a section of pants worn by Mantle in a New York Yankees game. The PSA label contains this designation: “Ultimate Game Jer. – Tier 2.” It is 40 of only 99 produced.
Winning Bid $100.
Lot 113. Tommy John Signed Photo with Thurman Munson and a Signed Yankees Cap. The 1979 photo, which is 6.75” x 7.25” on a 9.75” x 10” plaque, captures the two stars shaking hands after the Yankees defeated an A.L. opponent. John placed a large, bold gem mint 10 autograph on the photo. He also signed a new Yankees cap. The signature on the bill is nm-m 8. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $68.
Lot 114. 45 Copies – 35 Signed – of Tommy John’s Autobiography – “T.J.: My 26 Years in Baseball.” Ten autographed copies of the hardback edition, 25 signed copies of the paperback and 10 unsigned hardbacks. All are first editions, with the 1991 hardbacks nm-m and the 1992 softcover books ex-m to nm with occasional shelf wear. The autographed hardbacks are from a limited signing of 59 books, and the paperbacks, from a limited signing of 87. The autographs, authenticated by Kevin Keating, are mint 9 and gem mint 10.
Winning Bid $110.
Lot 115. One Dozen Tommy John Bobble Doubles 7.25” Bobbing Heads. These ceramic bobble heads by Alexander Global Promotions have John wearing a Yankees uniform. Sponsored by Perry and Barron, an orthopedics and sports medicine group, they are complete with a scar on John’s left arm! All 12 are mint in their original boxes. They come with 12 “Property of” labels signed by John.
Winning Bid $102.
Lot 119. T. John Yankees Collection: Signed Original Gilchrist Drawing, Spring Training Jersey, Etc. Impressive collection of more than 120 items highlighted by an original 8” x 10” drawing by Guy and Brad Gilchrist and a Yankees’ spring training practice jersey. John autographed each. The Gilchrists drew “Jim Henson’s Muppets Comic Strip” from 1981-85. More recently, they have been associated with the “Nancy” strip and “Today’s Dogg.” Their illustration is very nicely accomplished, apparently in ink and watercolors. John’s autograph is mint 9. His signature is nm-m 8 on the front of the practice jersey. It has his No. 25 on the back. John also signed two game-worn Yankees caps. The autographs are nm-m 8 to mint 9. Other key items are a signed pair of Pony spikes (both signed), an autographed game-worn undershirt and John’s 1979 Set B pants (unsigned) by Goodman & Sons. The appropriate tags are inside. This collection also includes: 9-18. Ten 8.5” x 11” hand-signed photocopies of a photo of John pitching. 19-21. Three signed b&w 8” x 10” photos: the 1980 team, John wincing as a trainer works on his arm, and John being congratulated by Thurman Munson after a 1979 game (photocopy). 22-31. Ten autographed 8” x 10” color photos, including the 1980 A.L. All-Star team (signed by TJ only); six of John pitching (five different with one a magazine photo); two posed photos (one autograph personalized), and one lithographed drawing with John’s portrait atop Yankee Stadium. 32-37. Six signed postcards, one b&w. 38-40. Three signed bumper stickers, one 1977-78 World Champs and two 1989 Yankees. 41-58. Eighteen unsigned postcards. 59-61. Four pieces of jewelry: a 1.25” pin with the NY logo inside a ball designed to appear as if it’s made from rhinestones; an “NY” charm; a Yankees bat pendant and a key chain plastic fob with the Yankees’ logo. 63-66. Four unsigned undershirts, three game-used. 67-69. Three Yankees T-shirts, one 3X and two 2X, one with Tommy’s initials on the neck tag. 70. Set of five nesting dolls with Jeter on the outside and Giambi, Mussina, Clemens and Hitchcock inside. 71. Stadia Tins 2.75”-high Yankee Stadium (with a $14.99 price tag still on the bottom). 72-74. Three cloths dolls with a crocheted appearance, two 10.5” and one 19.5”. 75-89. Fifteen publications including a 1980 ALCS program with Munson on the cover; 1981, 1982 and 1988 yearbooks; three 1981 A.L. Eastern Division Championship Series programs; 1982 media guide; 1982 Lite Beer calendar “Compliments of Billy Martin, Famous Beer Drinker”; 1981-82, 1988-89 and 1989-90 Yankees calendars; May 14, 1987 (Mattingly cover) and Oct. 8, 1992 “Yankees Magazine” and a 1988 “Surf” paperback with photos of Topps’ Yankees cards. 90-95. Six 3.5” plastic mugs featuring a Yankees’ team photo. 96. 1982 “The Little Yankee” 8.75” decorative limited-edition plate by artist Anthony Sidoni in the original box. 97-116. Twenty color snapshots from the 1980 All-Star Game. 117-122. Six autographed publications including the cover of the July 1982 “Guideposts” and the Aug. 18, 1990 New York “Daily News” with John winning the “Front Page Award.” 123. A Lou Gehrig bobbing head from the ALS Association; mint figure, bat missing. 124-126. Two Babe Ruth and one Gehrig first day covers. 127. Gray road pants that were not team-issued. The autographs are essentially all nm-m 8 or better, with many 9s and 10s. Authenticated by Kevin Keating. Generally, the items are ex-m. They come with a letter from John saying they are from his collection. An excellent collection with 38 autographs and great potential break-up value!
Winning Bid $163.
Lot 120. Tommy John Signed Bat, Ball, Yankees Batting Helmet, Caps and Other Memorabilia. While the items are not game-used, John’s autographs are bold and superb for display on: a 34” black and natural D-Bat from a 2005 celebrity baseball game (mint 9 autograph; black color is “frosted” on the back); an OAL MacPhail ball (mint 9 autograph, ex-m to nm ball); an nm Yankees’ batting helmet (gem mint 10 signature); a Yankees’ cap that may be game-used, but not by John (nm 7 to nm-m 8), and a Yankees’ red cap by New Era (mint 9). The signed baseball is accompanied by a 9” x 12” plaque given by the March of Dimes in 1990 at a “Tommy John Tribute Dinner.” It includes a special card with a mint 9 John signature. The top of the ball holder is missing. Other signed items are a hardcopy of John’s autobiography, “T.J.: My 26 Years in Baseball,” (#31 of 59), an unsigned hardback and five autographed copies of the paperback edition (#3, 69. 70, 74 and 84 of 89). The autographs are 9s or 10s, and the books are nm-m. The collection also includes a Tommy John 7.5” bobbing head; five sets of children’s Yankees pinstripe pants, including small, medium and large, most by Wilson, Rawlings or Medalist; two children’s small Yankees jerseys, both with No. 25 on the back and one with “T.J.”; five 4” plastic cups with a Yankees’ team photo; a Yankees’ game cap from New Era; three miscellaneous caps, including one with the 2001 World Series logo; two full-sized team photo pennants, from 1979 (vg, stained) and 1986 (vg+, tip clipped, pin holes); four of John’s undershirts, all game-used; a 1982 “The Little Yankee” 8.75” decorative limited-edition plate by artist Anthony Sidoni in the original box, and road pants that are not team-issued. Generally, the items are ex-m, and the autographs are mint 9 or gem mint 10. They come with a letter from John saying they are from his collection. Autograph authentication by Kevin Keating. Twelve quality autographs among 35+ collectibles from Tommy John.
Winning Bid $168.
