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Football Autographs
14 Lots
 Lot 12. Uncommon Pro Football HoF Class of 1992 Envelope Signed by All 4 Inductees. Fifteen years after their Hall of Fame induction, you’d think that more of these envelopes would have surfaced signed by Lem Barney, John Mackey, Al Davis and John Riggins. This is the only one we have seen, however. Maybe the scarcity has to do with the fact that Davis and Riggins are both comparatively reluctant signers. The envelope carries a Jan. 25, 1992 postmark from the Hall of Fame in Canton. Davis’ signature is a 9. The others are 10s. Barney intercepted 56 passes as a cornerback for Detroit 1967-77. Riggins gained more than 11,000 yards at running back for the Jets 1971-75 and Redskins 1976-79 and 1981-85, while Mackey was the prototypical tight end for Baltimore 1963-71, and finishing with the Chargers in 1972. Davis was instrumental in the success of both the Raiders and the AFL. A very special memento of the 1992 Hall of Fame induction authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $368.
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 Lot 13. Superb Fountain Pen Autograph of 1941 Heisman Trophy Winner Bruce Smith. . Among Heisman winners, Smith’s signature is one of the more elusive. This example is an outstanding return address on a 3” x 1” section of lined paper. In blue fountain pen, Smith neatly wrote “Bruce Smith, Cox., Bldg. 1111, Camp Perry, Great Lakes, Ill.” The signature is bold, and excellent for matting and display. When it was written, Smith was a coxswain, a junior officer, at the U.S. Navy’s Great Lakes, Ill., Station. He had received the Heisman Trophy in New York on Dec, 9, 1941, two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1942, he enlisted in the Navy as a pilot. He spent three years in the Navy, some of it playing football, primarily at Great Lakes and at the St. Mary’s Flight School in California. He won Armed Forces Player of the Year Honors. After the war, he played professionally for three years with the Packers and Rams. Smith was awarded the Heisman for leading the Minnesota Gophers to consecutive 8-0 seasons and national championships in 1940 and 1941. A halfback, he was a master at breaking free for long-runs. In 1942, Columbia Pictures announced that his football career would be featured in a 1942 film entitled “Smith of Minnesota.” He played himself in the film. Smith apparently is the only Heisman winner ever nominated for sainthood, a result of his work with cancer patients after he was diagnosed with the disease himself. He succumbed in 1967. Great example of his World War II signature authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $783.
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 Lot 14. CORRECTED DESCRIPTION: Football Signed by 41 Members of the 1974 Champion Steelers Including All 10 Hall of Fame Players - Bradshaw, Etc. The signatures of 49 Pittsburgh Steelers are on an Official Wilson NFL football. They are actual signatures, not facsimiles. The ball is NOT signed by Art Rooney, as the original description stated. It is signed by five members of the 1973 team who did not make the 1974 roster, 41 members of the 1974 Championship team and three members of the 1975 Championship team. The 1974 team started the Steelers’ dominance of pro football in the 1970s. They brought owner Art Rooney and the Steel City their first NFL title by defeating Minnesota, 16-6, in Super Bowl IX. Members of the 1973 team who signed are John Dockery, Craig Hanneman, Glen Ray Hines, Dennis Meyer and Barry Pearson. The 41 signers from 1974 are Jim Allen, Rocky Bleier, Ed Bradley, TERRY BRADSHAW, MEL BLOUNT, Larry Brown, Jim Clack (deceased), Glen Edwards, Frenchy Fuqua, Steve Furness (deceased), Reggie Garrett, Roy Gerela, Joe Gilliam (deceased), Gordon Gravelle, JOE GREENE, L. C. Greenwood, Randy Grossman, JACK HAM, Terry Hanratty, FRANCO HARRIS, Reggie Harrison, Ernie Holmes, Marv Kellum, Jon Kolb, JACK LAMBERT, Frank Lewis, RAY MANSFIELD (deceased), Gerry Mullins, Preston Pearson, Dave Reavis, Andy Russell, Donnie Shell, Ron Shanklin, JOHN STALLWORTH, LYNN SWANN, J. T. Thomas, Loren Toews, Mike Wagner, Bobby Walden, Dwight White and MIKE WEBSTER (deceased). The members of the 1975 Championship team who signed are John Banaszak, Dave Brown (deceased) and Mike Collier. The ball is nm with “1973-74” written on it. All of the signatures are in black sharpie on the ball’s brown dimpled background. They grade Nm 7 to Gem Mint 10 and average Nm-m 8. Outstanding memento of the Steelers’ glory years! Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $1,242.
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 Lot 15. Nike Michigan Football Signed by President Gerald R. Ford. The 40th President of the United States was also the starting center and a linebacker for the 1934 University of Michigan football team. His teammates named him the squad’s most valuable player, and he was offered a pro contract by the Green Bay Packers. Ford has signed the ball boldly in silver sharpie above the Michigan logo. The signature is a 10. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $225.
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 Lot 146. New York Giants Jacket Signed by Bill Parcells, Harry Carson, Leonard Marshall. The white satin pullover jacket is personalized to Lou Michaels, “Mrs. Sports Caster,” from Parcells. Michaels apparently is pro lineman and kicker. Parcells signed the jacket along with Harry Carson, a recent addition to the Pro Hall of Fame, and Leonard Marshall. Carson added “53” and “Giants” to his signature, while Marshall wrote “70” and “SB XXI–XXV.” The jacket, a large, is trimmed in red, white and blue and has the Giants logo on the front. The signatures are large and all 10s. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $100.
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 Lot 147. 38 Pro Football Hall of Fame Autographs, Primarily on Unlined Index Cards. The signatures are 9s and 10s without personalization on unlined index cards unless noted. Some have sentiments such as “Best wishes” added, which others contain additional information, such as teams played for. Atkins (signed on both sides, which are unlined; one side personalized, the other with the teams he played for listed in his hand), Bednarik, Berry, Butkus, Canadeo (1919-2003), Connor (1925-2003), Donovan, Dudley, Ewbank (1907-98), Fears (1923-2003), Flaherty (1904-94, personalization that could easily be matted out), Graham (1921-2003), Groza (1924-2000, lined paper), Hein (1909-92, return address), Hirsch (1923-2004, lined), Huff, Hunt (1932-2006), Lane (1928-2002), Lary, Lavelli, Lilly, Marchetti, Matson, McAfee (lined), McElhenny, Millner (1913-76, “W. Millner,” return address), Mix, Musso (1910-2000), Olsen, Otto, Jim Parker (1934-2005, personalized, lined), Schmidt, Stautner (1925-2006), Stydahar (1912-77), Trippi, Turner (1919-98), Willis, Wojciechowicz (1915-92). Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $100.
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 Lot 148. Signature of Hall of Fame Coach George Allen on a 1971 Newsweek Cover. A defensive innovator, Allen concluded his pro coaching career with a winning percentage exceeded only by Vince Lombardi and John Madden. His team’s never had a losing season. He was one of the first coaches to use sophisticated playbooks. Allen died unexpectedly in 1990. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002. His autograph is relatively scarce. His autograph, which is at an unusual angle on the cover, rates a 9 of 10. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $83.
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 Lot 149. Large Signature of HoF Player-Coach Jim Conzelman Authen- Enshrined at Canton as a quarterback, Conzelman actually achieved success as both a player and a coach. He was a charter member of the NFL, playing quarterback for George Halas’ Decatur Staleys. Through most of the rest of his playing career, which ended in 1928, he also served as a coach. He led the Providence Steam Roller to an NFL title in 1928, and the Chicago Cardinals in 1947. He was selected for the NFL’s 1920s All-Decade team. Conzelman was enshrined at Canton in 1964 and passed away in 1970. His signature is a 1 ½” x 3 ½” pencil cut on 2 ½” x 4” section of paper that has been adhered to an index card. The signature grades nm 7. Conzelman’s autograph is comparatively difficult to find. It has been authenticated by both PSA/DNA and Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $100.
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 Lot 150. Jack Kent Cooke Signature on Washington Redskins Letterhead. Cooke was part or sole owner of the Redskins from 1961 until his death in 1997. At one time, he also owned the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings. Cooke signed a typed letter to writer-author John Holway regarding an article Holway had written. The signature is a bold, outstanding 10. Nice content from this almost-certain future member of the Football Hall of Fame. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Minimum Bid $75.
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 Lot 151. 1966 Notre Dame Media Guide Signed by Jim Crowley, “Four Horsemen” HB. The Fighting Irish were national champions in 1966. On an inside page that lists statistical leaders by season and pictures some of them, Crowley signed beneath a small photo that shows him as a player in the early 1920s. The ballpoint signature is very strong and is written across some statistics and a photo of another Notre Dame star. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Crowley passed away in 1986. Otherwise, the 64- page Notre Dame Football Guide previews the 1966 season. An exciting team, the Fighting Irish were chock full of future NFL players such as Larry Conjar, Nick Eddy, Terry Hanratty, Pete Duranko, Rocky Bleier, Alan Page and Bob Kuechenberg. Ex. Great guide for the Notre Dame collector. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $138.
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 Lot 152. Autograph of Hall of Fame Football Star “Red” Grange. Elected to the College and Pro Halls of Fame, Grange signed an 8 ½” x 11” photocopied page that lists accomplishments of his high school, college and pro football career. The page is personalized. Grange’s signature at the bottom is a mint 9 and could be matted. Grange had a key role in increasing the popularity of pro football in the 1920s-30s. He passed away in 1991. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Minimum Bid $50.
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 Lot 153. George Halas Autographed Print. This 7 ¼” x 9 ½” color print, which is framed, features a young George Halas in a Decatur Staleys uniform. Established in 1920, the Staleys became the Chicago Bears. Players at the University of Illinois wore the same type of uniform. Working with limited funds, Halas and team owner A. E. Staley apparently purchased used uniforms from the university. Halas’ ink signature is inscribed “To Bruce – All Best Wishes George Halas.” The signature is an 8. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $100.
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 Lot 238. 8” x 10” Photos Signed by 1970s Steelers Stars Franco Harris, Sam Davis. Harris wears a suit and tie in a color photo promoting Kingdom Tours. His signature, personalized “To Beverly” with “Good Luck” added, grades an nm-m 8 and is in blue sharpie. Davis was one of the top guards of the 1970s. In a b&w photo, he runs interference for Rocky Bleier. His black sharpie signature is a 10. Both photos are vg. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $20.
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