Lot 13. PSA/DNA- Authenticated Autograph of Don Miller – Notre Dame Four Horsemen Right Halfback. Miller’s autograph is the most difficult among the Four Horsemen to obtain. This example is mint 9 on an envelope with his image and postmarked Sept. 13, 1969 at Canton, OH. The most productive runner among the Four Horsemen, Miller was the last admitted to the College Hall of Fame (1970). He died in 1979. Although he led the national champion 1924 Notre Dame team in rushing, he was the only Four Horseman not selected as an All-American that year. He left South Bend second only to George Gipp in rushing. In 2001, he was 14th on the school’s all-time list. Following graduation, Miller played for one season with the Providence Steam Roller. For several years, he coached part-time while pursuing a career in law. In 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed him U.S. District Attorney for Northern Ohio. See also Lots 328 and 329 for other Four Horsemen autographs. Authenticated also by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $1,854
Lot 284. Tony Dorsett (HoF) Autographed Plaque from Pitt Stadium. During his four years at the University of Pittsburgh, Dorsett was a joy to behold. Play after play, he seemed to coast through the narrowest of openings in opponents’ defensive lines, and then accelerate as though he belonged on the track at Indy. In 1976, he won the Heisman Trophy, in part for leading the Panthers to the NCAA football national championship. After Pitt, he won Super Bowl XII with the Dallas Cowboys. Dorsett is in both the College and Pro Halls of Fame. In 1999, “The Sporting News” ranked him as the 53rd greatest football player in history. In 2007, ESPN ranked him as the seventh best college player ever. Offered here is a 14” x 20” plaque that honors Dorsett and hung in Pitt Stadium until it was demolished in 1999. Dorsett autographed an 8” x 10” plate that is part of the plaque and shows his image. The signature, authenticated by Kevin Keating, is gem mint 10. The ticket is enclosed from a 2002 event where Dorsett signed. A plate below the photo notes that Dorsett was an All-America from 1973-76. Impressive, unique display item featuring one of football’s all-time greats!
Winning Bid $200
Lot 285. Official NFL Football Signed by 25 Members of 1976 Super Bowl Champion Steelers. The 1975 team brought Pittsburgh’s its first Super Bowl trophy with a 16-6 triumph over Minnesota. This official NFL Rozelle football was signed at the Steelers’ 1975 training camp. The team went on to win Super Bowl X. The ball holds the autographs of Terry Bradshaw, Chuck Noll, Jack Lambert, Roy Gerela, Rocky Bleier, Randy Grossman, John Banaszak, Bobby Walden, Robert Gaddis, Glen Edwards, Bruce Reimer, Kirk Heyer, Gene Clark, Dwight Thompson, Rick Druschel, Larry Griffin, Greg Bankston, James Pettus, Archie Gray, (Mike) Collier and Jimmy Jerome. The autographs average nm 7 to nm-m 8, and the ball is mint. A 1975 Steelers media guide is also included.
Winning Bid $357
Lot 286. Jack Lambert Large, Bold Autograph on a Three Rivers Stadium Seat Back. Nm-m 8 Lambert signature, the largest we’ve seen. Lambert won four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers when Three Rivers Stadium was their home. He annotated his autograph with his uniform number and “HOF ’90.”
Winning Bid $102
Lot 287. Pittsburgh Steelers Collection of Autographs, Memorabilia and Books. The autographs, including Bill Cowher, Joey Porter and Myron Cope, are on two mini-helmets, a seat cushion, a cap, game-used gloves and a license plate. One mini-helmet has the signatures of Cowher, Tommy Maddox, K (Kendrick) Clancy, Joe Porter and Tee Martin. The other, a bank, presents the autographs of Dewayne Washington, Jeremy Staat, Travis Davis, Courtney Hawkins and four others. The autographs average nm-m 8. More than 40 Steelers from 1997-98 signed a logo cap, including Myron Cope, Deshea Townsend, Donta Jones, Josh Miller, Kris Brown, Troy Sadowski and Kordell Stewart. Cope’s autograph is large and stands out boldly. The signatures average nm 7. A Steelers license plate is signed by Stewart, Alan Faneca, Mark Bruener and Brown. Nm-m 8. A seat cushion with the Steelers’ logo presents the signatures of Maddox, Kent Graham, Schneck, Miller, Jermane Tuman, Brown, Alexander, Scott, Hines Ward, Cowher, Washington, Matt Cushing and Bruener. Ex-m 6 to nm 7 signatures. Chad Scott and Mike Vrabel signed gloves that appear to be game-used. Two Hall of Fame mugs, each depicting four Steelers, and a Super Bowl XL mug are part of the collection; Jeff Reed and Chris Hoke signed the Super Bowl mug. Three beer cans, including one with the 1979 team and one with the 1980 team, are included; vg. The collection includes: A lapel pin set of five commemorating each Pittsburgh Super Bowl win; mint in the original box. A 2008 media guide, vg. Myron Copes’s “Double Yoi!” book, 2002, ex-m book and dust jacket. Dan Rooney’s biography, 2007, ex-m book and jacket. A mini helmet. And a Super Bowl XIV “Luv Ya Black & Gold” felt banner, which has a small helmet attached; vg+ to ex.
Winning Bid $125
Lot 288. Pittsburgh Steelers Collection: Autographs, Team Stat Sheets, Mugs, a Program and More. Tremendous collection for Steelers fans. Late 1970s-Early 1980s Autographs: Lynn Swann signed 5” x 7” b&w photo; nm 7 signature. Sixteen additional nm-m 8 signatures on 3” x 5” or larger lined notebook paper - Chuck Noll, Mel Blount, Jack Lambert, Ron Johnson, Craig Wolfley, Cliff Stoudt, Willie Taylor, Rollie Dotsch, Gary Dunn, Tom Graves, Rocky Bleier, Roy Gerela, Randy Grossman, Benny Cunningham, Greg Hawthorne and J. T. Thomas. 21st Century Autographs: A lifetime supply of Veron Haynes signed 8” x 10 color photos – more than 175 of them! Program: Sept. 23, 1973 vs. Browns, home game, cover loose, otherwise vg-ex. Team-Issued Statistics: Twenty-four pages of statistics and play-by-play on 8.5” x 14” pages for the Sept. 23, 1973 Browns game and the Dec. 9 Houston game. Steelers Mugs: Five of them, all different. A glass mug commemorates the Steelers’ 1975 Super Bowl triumph, and two, the 1979 Super Bowl. One ceramic mug lists the results of the 1974 season and Super Bowl IX (1975), while another shows Three Rivers Stadium and honors Pittsburgh as the “City of Champions.” Nm. This group has excellent potential break-up value.
Winning Bid $163
Lot 328. PSA/DNA-Authenticated Jim Crowley Autograph - Notre Dame’s Four Horsemen Left Halfback. Crowley was the left halfback for the four Horsemen, who led Notre Dame to a 27-2-1 record from 1922-24, including a 10-0 national championship season in 1924. After Notre Dame, he played for the Green Bay Packers and Providence Steam Roller. He then coached successfully at Michigan State and Fordham, where Vince Lombardi was one of his “Seven Blocks of Granite.” He was also the first commissioner of the All-America Football Conference. He was elected to the College Hall of Fame in 1966 and died in 1986. His signature is mint 9 on an informational index card. See also Lots 13 and 329 for other Four Horsemen autographs. Authenticated also by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $185
Lot 329. PSA/DNA Authenticated Autograph of Elmer Layden - Notre Dame’s Four Horsemen Fullback. Layden was the fastest of the Four Horsemen, and he was the top defensive player and punter on the team. His running and leadership helped the Fighting Irish of 1924 to win the national college championship with a 10-0 record, including a 27-10 win over Stanford in the Rose Bowl. Subsequently, he coached at Duquesne and Notre Dame and later served as commissioner of the National Football League. He was inducted into the College Hall of Fame in 1951 with Knute Rockne. He died in 1973. His ballpoint signature is mint 9 on an informational index card. See also Lots 13 and 328 other Four Horsemen autographs. Authenticated also by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $204
Lot 330. Rare Autograph of College Hall of Fame Player Arthur Hillebrand. Successful as a player and coach, Hillebrand was inducted into the College Hall of Fame in 1970, 29 years after his passing. He played football at Princeton during 1896-99, earning All-America honors in his final two seasons. In 1898, he was captain of the football team, and in 1900, captain of the baseball team. In 1901 he coached the baseball team at the U.S. Naval Academy, and in 1903-05, the Princeton football team. In his four years as a Princeton player, the team had a 43-2-2 record and outscored opponents, 1,089-44. As the Princeton coach, he went 27-4. His undefeated (11-0) 1903 team was the national champion. After 1905, he entered business in South Dakota, where he passed away in 1941. His autograph, nm-m 8 on a 0.75” x 4.25” cut, is among the rarest of the College Hall of Famers. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $100
Lot 331. Signed Photos of 12 Football HoFers: Bradshaw, Dickerson, Lavelli, Etc., Plus Doak Walker. The autographs are generally nm-m 8 and better. Eleven are on 8” x 10” photos: Terry Bradshaw (b&w photo), Elvin Bethea (color photo), “Bullet Bill” Dudley (sepia photo), Kenny Houston (color), Stan Jones (color), Jim Langer (color), Frank Lary (color), Dante “Gluefingers” Lavelli (b&w), Gino Marchetti (color), Dwight Stephenson (color photo inside Joe Robbie Stadium) and Charley Trippi (sepia). Eric Dickerson autographed his image on the cover of a 1984 Broncos vs. Raiders program; nm 7 signature (dark background). In addition, Doak Walker’s autograph is on a signature cut matted to 8” x 10” with a b&w photo of the Detroit Lions star. Walker passed away in 1998, Lavelli in 2009 and Dudley in 2010. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $113
Lot 332. Joe Namath Autographed Sept. 15, 1969 “Newsweek” Cover. Large mint 9 signature on a superb image of the Hall of Fame quarterback. Nine months earlier, Namath led the New York Jets and the American Football League to their first victory in the Super Bowl. An article inside profiles Namath and previews the 1969 pro football season. Vg-ex issue with a label on the cover and a very displayable signed image of Broadway Joe. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $83
Lot 333. Autographed Book: “Maroon Gold, A History of Sun Devil Athletics.” Nm-m copy of the book on Arizona State sports signed by the author, Bob Eger, and six famous coaches, student-athletes or both: Rob Evans, Ned Wulk, Baldy Castillo, Bruce Snyder, Bill Kajikawa and Pat Murphy. Kajikawa passed away last year. Eger, the author, signed one of the blank pages at the front of the book, and the others, another page. Kevin Keating authenticated the signatures, which are mint 9 and gem mint 10. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Minimum Bid $25
Lot 335. Don Shula Autographed Copy of His Book, “Everyone’s a Coach.” Mint 9 signature on the front end-page of the 1995 hardback, subtitled “You Can Inspire Anyone to be a Winner.” The book is nm in a like dust jacket. Shula coached the Baltimore Colts or Miami Dolphins from 1963-95. His teams won 347 games, the most for any coach in NFL history. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Minimum Bid $25
Lot 336. George Blanda (HoF) Autographed Nov. 23, 1970 “Sports Illustrated.” Blanda was inducted into the Pro Hall o Fame in 1981 as a quarterback and placekicker following a 26-seaon pro career that took him to Chicago (Bears), Baltimore, Houston and Oakland. No one ever played longer in the NFL. Only he and two other players appeared in games in four different decades. At his retirement, he had kicked more extra points than anyone else. Blanda started his pro career with the Bears in 1949, but he achieved his greatest success in the AFL in the 1960s. He quarterbacked the Houston Oilers to three NFL championships, was a four-time All-Star and was named the league’s MVP in 1963, when he led the AFL in passing. In 1970, he was the NFL’s Player of the Year. In 1999, “The Sporting News” ranked him as one of the top 100 football players of all-time. Blanda passed away last year. His signature is a bold mint 9 to gem mint10 on the cover of the “SI” issue, which is ex with a label. Kevin Keating authenticated the autograph.
Winning Bid $248
