Lot 444. Pittsburgh Steelers Memorabilia – 2 Swann Autographs, Programs, Tickets – and a Coin. Lynn Swann, the Hall of Fame wide receiver, placed a mint 9 signature on the back of a 3.5” x 6.5” ticket from the 1999 Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament. The ticket has creases that do not affect the presentation of the autograph. Above his signature, he wrote “Peace!” Swann also signed a page in the program for the event. This autograph is nm-m 8 to mint 9. Swann is in the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame. A third autograph is by John Banaszak, a solid performer at defensive end for the Steelers from 1975-81. The Defensive Player of the Game in Super Bowl XIII, he signed an NFL educational brochure above his image. The autograph is mint 9; the brochure is folded horizontally and has multiple creases. The autograph displays very nicely. Eight of the nine other items are for the Steelers’ final game at Three Rivers Stadium on Dec. 16, 2000, or their first game at Heinz Field on Oct. 7, 2001. Two programs for the closing game against the Washington Redskins are ex to ex-m, while one ticket is vg-ex, and the other is ex. In the inaugural game at Heinz Field, the Steelers defeated the Bengals, 16-7. A program for the game is ex-m+; one ticket is vg-ex, and another is ex. An Inaugural Season coin accompanies the program and tickets. It and the surrounding holder are nm-m to mint. The coin was created for distribution at what was supposed to be the Steelers’ first Heinz Field game – on Sept. 16 vs. Cleveland. That game and all NFL games that day were postponed because of the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S. by Islamic extremists. This collection also includes a 2005 Steelers yearbook, which pictures Heath Miller, the Steelers’ best draft pick of the season, and Nate Washington, signed as an undrafted free agent. The 2005 Steelers, with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback, won Super Bowl XL. The 184-publication is nm-m.
Winning Bid $83
Lot 446. Y. A. Tittle Boldly Signed B&W 11” x 14” Iconic Photo by Morris Berman. The photo by the “Pittsburgh Post-Gazette” photographer captures the bloodied, dazed and dejected New York Giants quarterback on his knees in a Sept. 1964 game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. On a play that resulted in an interception returned for a touchdown, Tittle had just suffered a concussion and a cracked sternum. Pittsburgh won the game, 27-24. The signature Tittle placed on the nm-m photo is large and gem mint 10. He had a Hall of Fame career with the San Francisco Giants before being traded to the Giants in 1961. Tittle retired after the 1964 season. With Jim Brown, Andy Robustelli, Norm Van Brocklin and the late Vice Lombardi, Tittle was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971. He died in 2017.
Winning Bid $30
Lot 464. 8 Signed Photos with a Pittsburgh Connection –1 Baseball and 7 Football Autographs. All of the photos are color 8 x 10s, nm-m or better. The lone baseball signer is Pedro Alvarez, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ third baseman from 2010-14 and their first baseman in 2015. In 2013, he led the N.L. in home runs, was an All-Star and received a Silver Slugger award. His autograph is nm-m 8 to mint 9. All but one of the football autographs are by Pittsburgh Steelers. The exception is LaVar Arrington, a star linebacker for the Washington Redskins. A linebacker and running back during his senior year at North Hills High School near Pittsburgh, Arrington was one the nation’s top players. He was named the 1996 “Parade” National Player of the Year, the Bobby Dodd National High School Back of the Year, the “Gatorade” Player of the Year and “USA Today” Pennsylvania Player of the Year. Subsequently at Penn State, he was a two-time first-team All-American and, in 1999, received the Butkus, Bednarik and Lambert Awards. His autograph is strong on a partially dark background, nm 7 to nm-m 8. Steelers’ autographs are by: Cam Heyward, one of the team captains and a four-time Pro Bowl selection at defensive end. Earl Holmes, a linebacker, 1996-2001. Chris Hoke, a defensive lineman, 2001-11. Carnell Lake, a four-time Pro-Bowl safety, 1989-98. And Shaun Suisham, the Steelers’ 2010-15 placekicker with holder (and punter) Jeremy Kapinos (2010-12) in two different photos. The Steelers’ autographs are nm-m 8 and better. Heyward’s is mint 9 to gem mint 10. The signed photos are accompanied by an 8” x 10” color photo of the 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates team. Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell are in the photo.
Winning Bid $25
Lot 494. 8 Pittsburgh Area Football Banquet and Testimonial Programs and 2 Letters to Chet Smith. Smith was the highly regarded sports editor of the “Pittsburgh Press” from 1931-66. Three Curbstone Coaches Awards Banquet programs are in this collection, for Jan. 1961, Dec. 1961 and Jan. 1964. Each year, this organization honored Pittsburgh Steelers and college and high school players and coaches. The programs are vg with extensive notations in two of them. Individuals honored include Mike Ditka, Dick Hoak, Art Rooney, Big Daddy Lipscomb, Pete Dimperio, Buddy Dial and Myron Pottios. Smith was the toastmaster at all three of these events. The letters to him are from, in 1947, Thomas J. Herbert, the Governor of Ohio, and, in 1958, Charles Alvin Jones, Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. (Their signatures have not been authenticated.) Smith was the toastmaster at other events represented here. The other programs honor: 1. 1945, Mt. Lebanon Wildcats, undefeated in eight games, Smith as toastmaster with Pie Traynor participating, vg, extensive notations. 2. 1946, Lt. Richard J. Pitzer of Langley High, Connellsville High and Army’s 1944 and 1945 undefeated teams, vg-ex. 3. 1947, Springdale High School, W.P.I.A.L. Class A champion, vg+. 4. 1949, Lou Kusserow of Glassport and an All-American at Columbia, vg-ex. 5. 1968, Louis Nemec, Penn Hills football coach, vg. Also, a Pittsburgh Builders 1953 program; a flyer for a 1940 surprise birthday party for Lawrence J. Fagan, “Pittsburgh Press” city editor, 1930-60, and Curbstone Coaches membership cards for 1969 and 1970.
Winning Bid $10
Lot 499. 8 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers Large-Format B&W Photos with Swann, Bradshaw, Greene, Etc. Five of these offset-print photos are 11” x 14” including a caption and are mounted on 12” x 15” white foam board. They appear to be from original negatives. One has a facsimile signature of Harry K Frye, award-winning photographer for a Pittsburgh area newspaper, “The Beaver County Times,” from 1964-90. It is likely that all five photos represent Frye’s work. 1. Dec. 14, 1974 game, Lynn Swann runs to evade Bengals defenders after catching a pass from Terry Bradshaw. 2. Dec. 27, 1976, Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw head for the sidelines after Harris scored in an AFC Division Playoff Game. 3. Jan. 5, 1979, Portrait of Lynn Swann in a Steelers game vs. Houston. The following four photos are from a 1976 Playoff Game between the Steelers and Raiders. 4. Jan. 4, 1976, Terry Bradshaw being helped off the field in an AFC Division Playoff Game vs. Oakland. 5. Jan. 4, 1976, Joe Greene carrying Lynn Swann off the field after also being injured on the same pass that resulted in Terry Bradshaw’s injury. The following two photos are 8.5” x 11” with captions and appear to be from the same source as the five above. 6. Jan. 4, 1976, Franco Harris breaks through the center of the Raiders’ line. 7. Jan. 4, 1976, Coach Chuck Noll and Terry Bradshaw watching fourth-quarter action. These seven photos are nm or better. 8. Undated 11” x 14” photo printed on glossy paper, Denver’s Craig Morton unleashing a pass under pressure for the Steelers’ L. C. Greenwood and Steve Furness, ex-m, apparently from an original negative. Excellent Steelers photograph collection.
Winning Bid $152
Lot 510. Nov. 20, 1955 Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns Football Program. These Browns repeated as NFL champions, and the Steelers were one of their regular-season victims, 44-14. The 36-page program is vg+ to ex. It has a full-page photo of head coach Paul Brown. Players pictured include Otto Graham, Frank Gatski, Len Ford, Fred Morrison, Chuck Noll, Dante Lavelli, Lou Groza and Jim Finks.
Winning Bid $30
Lot 512. 3 Detroit Lions Programs – 1956 vs. the Rams and Steelers and 1958 vs. the 49ers. The Lions won the Oct. 14, 1956 game with Los Angeles, 24-21. The 56-page program is vg+ to ex with photos of players for each team, including Bobby Layne, Leon Hart, Lou Creekmur, Yale Lary, Jack Christiansen, Joe Schmidt, Bob Boyd, Crazy Legs Hirsch and Norm Van Brocklin. December 9, 1956 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, a 45-7 victory, 56-page program with player photos for each team, including Ernie Stautner for Pittsburgh, and many car advertisements; vg-ex. And Nov. 16, 1958 vs. the 49ers, a 35-31 win, 38 pages, photos of Tittle, Nomellini, St. Clair, McElhenny, Perry, Brodie, Rote, Lary, Karras, Christiansen, Morrall and others; vg+ to ex.
Winning Bid $30
Lot 513. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers Programs, 1956-60, vs. the Cardinals, Redskins and Giants. Three are for home games. The earliest is for a Nov. 25, 1956 game at Comiskey Park against the Chicago Cardinals. Pittsburgh lost, 27-38. The 32-page vg+ to ex program pictures such Cardinals as Woodley Lewis, Stan West, Joe Childress, Gern Nagler, Lindon Crow, Dave Mann, “Night Train” Lane and Ollie Matson. Unlike the Cardinals’ program, the Oct. 4, 1959 “Official Bicentennial Souvenir Program for the 1959 Steelers” shows numerous Pittsburgh players, including Len Dawson, Jack Butler and Ernie Stautner. Tom Tracy and Ray Mathews are in a full-page photo. And some Redskins are also presented. The 136-page program, vg+ to ex with the staples removed, has substantial information on Pittsburgh area football and other sports history. The Steelers lost to the Redskins, 17-23. The Dec. 13, 1959 program, also for the Bicentennial, is for a game with the Cardinals, which Pittsburgh won, 35-20. This program has a few photos of contemporary Steelers and otherwise largely replicates the edition for the Oct. 4 game. It does offer four pages of Steeler alumni, including Jim Finks, Bill McPeak, Elbie Nickel, Whizzer White, Bill Dudley, Johnny Blood McNally, Lynn Chandnois and coach Jock Sutherland. There also is a page titled “Steeler Games of ‘59” with five action photos. Vg+ to ex, 136 pages, Bert Bell on the front cover. The Oct. 9, 1960 program, with 34 pages, is vg+. Pittsburgh lost to the New York Giants, 17-19. The program has a large photo of Bobby Layne and his son with Tom Tracy.
Winning Bid $35
Lot 514. Nov. 3, 1963 Pittsburgh at Green Bay Football Program. Vg+ to ex 44-page program with photos on 15 pages. Among the players and coaches pictured are Vince Lombardi, Herb Adderley, Willie Davis, Bill Forester, Forrest Gregg, Buddy Parker, John Henry Johnson, Ray Nitschke, Henry Jordan, Jim Ringo, Willie Wood, Jim Taylor and Bart Starr. The staples that hold the program together at the spine have been removed. Each page is intact. The Packers won, 33-14. They finished the season in second place in the NFL Western Division with an 11-2-1 record.
Winning Bid $10
Lot 534. Franco Harris Super Bowl X Pittsburgh Steelers 1975 World Champions Replica Ring. The Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 21-17, for their second consecutive Super Bowl Championship. Harris accounted for 108 yards of the Steelers 339 yards of total offense. Mint metal alloy ring with Harris’ name on one shoulder and “Super Bowl X” on the other.
Winning Bid $15
Lot 543. Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl IX 1974 World Champions Replica Ring. At Tulane Stadium on Jan. 12, 1975, the Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 16-6, for their first of four Super Bowl Championships in the 1970s. The head of the ring says “Pittsburgh Steelers World Champions 1974,” and one shoulder has the “Super Bowl IX” designation. Mint metal alloy ring.
Minimum Bid $10
