Lot 326. Smoky Burgess Signed 1976 Letter. A six-time All-Star in 18 major league seasons with the Cubs, Phils, Reds Pirates and White Sox, Burgess set a record for career pinch hits – 145. Manny Mota broke the record in 1979. Burgess was part of the Pirates’ 1960 World Championship team. He is in the Cincinnati Reds and North Carolina Sports Halls of Fame. He died in 1991. His signature and address are at the close of a letter to a fan. The letter is handwritten by Burgess on stationery for a Dodge dealer. The letter has mailing folds and a crease. The original envelope is enclosed. The autograph is mint 9 to gem mint 10. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $15.
Lot 327. Dick Groat Vintage Autographed Photo with a Note Signed by His Father. Despite significant success in basketball and baseball, Groat may be one of the more underrated athletes of the 20th century. A two-time All-American in basketball at Duke and winner of the 1952 Helms Player of the Year Award, he played for one successful season with the NBA’s Fort Wayne Pistons. When his pro career was interrupted by military service, he led Fort Belvoir to worldwide Army championships in both baseball and basketball. It was the first time a base had won both titles in the same year. Groat hit .362 in baseball and averaged 35 points per game in basketball. As a major leaguer, he won the N.L. MVP Award, a batting title and the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award. He was an All-Star five times. In 2011, he became the first individual inducted into both the National College Baseball and Basketball Halls of Fame. Groat signed the border of a photo about 6” x 7” (about 4” x 4 ½” image area). The photo, printed using a printing press process, shows Groat as a Duke player. The fountain pen signature is bold, with a tape stain affecting much of the “k” and the tip of the “G.” There are three other tape stains in the border. Accompanying the signed photo is a transmittal letter to a collector dated 1952 and signed by Groat’s father, M. (Martin) B. Groat. This letter on a half-page has tape stains in four corners. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Minimum Bid $20.
Lot 328. Snapshots Signed by Pittsburgh Pirates Fred Patek and Joe L. Brown. Patek’s major league career spanned 14 years, including his rookie season and two more in Pittsburgh. His autograph is relatively difficult to come by. Whitey Herzog rated him the best shortstop on artificial turf he ever managed – even better than Ozzie Smith. Brown (died 2010) was Pittsburgh general manager as the Pirates captured two World Championships from 1955-76. Patek autographed a 4” x 4” snapshot that may once have been color but is now sepia. The signature is mint 9. Brown’s autograph is mint 9 on a 3.5” x 3.5” faded color photo. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Minimum Bid $25.
Lot 329. Willie Stargell Autographed 8” x 10” Color Photo. Nm-m 8 to mint 9 signature by the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Hall of Fame outfielder-first baseman. Stargell was inducted into the HoF in 1988, his first year of eligibility. He died in 2001. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $50.
Lot 330. 150 Autographs of Pittsburgh Pirates Including Many Deceased Players. These autographs span the 1920s to the present and have a significant concentration in the 1950s. Twelve are on photos or team issues. The rest are on index cards, all but about 15 unlined, with a smattering on sections of paper. There are approximately 110 different autographs. The collection includes no more than 15 personalizations and no more than six of any autograph. The photos and team issues are signed by Ron Blackburn (personalized 1950s team-issued postcard), Harry Bright, John Candelaria, Bob Friend, Grant Jackson, Nellie King, Ron Kline, Ron Necciai (1993 Upper Deck triple folder), Jim Sadowski (pers.), Manny Sanguillen, Wally Westlake and Len Yochim (12 1950s games with the Pirates in two seasons). Among the signers of index cards are Gene Alley, Gene Baker, Vic Barnhart, R. Birkofer (on paper, played in 1930s, died in 1971), Mace Brown, Pete Castiglione, Clay Carroll, William Stu Clarke, Gene Clines, Johnny Dickshot, ElRoy Face, Friend, Gene Garber, Johnny Gee, Dave Giusti, Dick Groat, Harvey Haddix, Clint Hurdle, Al Jackson, Clem Labine, Vernon Law, Jerry Lynch, Phil Masi, Dal Maxvill, John McCall, Gene Michael, Vinegar Bend Mizell (pers.), Amos Otis, Lance Parrish, Tony Piet, Bob Purkey, Johnny Ray, Rick Reuschel, Sanguillen, Benny Santiago (4” x 4” paper), Dick Schofield, Bobby Shantz, Bob Skinner, George Strickland, Kent Tekulve, Vernon Jake Thies, Frank Thomas, Mickey Vernon, Bill Virdon, Westlake, Wilbur Wood, Jack Wilson, Maury Wills (2.5” x 3.5” section of paper), Gene Woodling and Glenn Wright.
Winning Bid $92.
Lot 334. Reese, Durocher, Herman and 5 More Brooklyn Dodgers Autographs. The signatures are on a Sept. 26, 1941 New York “Daily News” page that shows the Dodgers celebrating after capturing the National League pennant. The photo itself is 9.75” x 8.75”. The page is mounted on 13.5” x 18.75” thick paper. Among the signers are three Hall of Fame members – Leo Durocher, Pee Wee Reese and Billy Herman. Ed Albosta, Herman Franks, Dolph Camilli, Mickey Own and Cookie Lavagetto also signed. Their autographs are nm-m 8 or better and have been authenticated by Kevin Keating. All of these individuals are deceased.
Winning Bid $30.
