Lot 8. Tommy John’s 1979 All-Star Game Ring. Major League Baseball selected Seattle to host the 50th Anniversary All-Star Game. On the way to one of his best seasons, John was among several New York Yankees selected for the American League roster. He completed the 1979 season with a 21-9 record and a 2.96 ERA. The ring by Balfour has a large stone with five cubic zirconia below on a siladium metal base. The Mariners’ logo and “1979” are on one side of the ring. John’s name and the All-Star Game 50th Anniversary logo are on the other. Nm. Comes with a letter of authenticity from John. An outstanding collectible representing one of baseball’s significant pitchers! MB $500.
Winning Bid $1,735
Lot 16. Tommy John’s 1977 Baseball Writers “Dodgers Pitcher of the Year” Trophy. In 1977, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) could just as easily have selected John for the N.L. Cy Young Award. Instead, he finished second in the voting to Steve Carlton, who had three more wins than John, and three more losses as well. John was the ace of the Dodgers’ pitching staff as he won 20 games for the first time and helped the team to win the N.L. pennant. The 24” trophy rests on a 5” x 5” marble base and is nm. It comes with a Letter of Authenticity from John.
Winning Bid $220
Lot 18. Tommy John’s 1991 Crown Royal Achievement Awards Package. In 1991, John was one of six athletes Crown Royal honored who “have beaten physical challenges to reach the very peak of success in their chose sport. They had to dig deeper, try harder, leap over one more hurdle” to achieve success. The other recipients were Wilma Rudolph, who won three gold medals at the 1960 Olympics, the first U.S. woman to do so; Jeff Blatnick, 1984 Greco-Roman wrestling super heavyweight Olympic gold medalist; Rocky Bleier, four-time Super Bowl running back with the Pittsburgh Steelers; Scott Hamilton, Olympics and World Champion figure skater, and Calvin Peete, the most successful African-American on the PGA tour before Tiger Woods. Until recently, the impressive elements of this award were prominently displayed in John’s living room. An extraordinary lithograph depicting an Olympics athlete has been autographed by John and each of the honorees, except for Peete. Their autographs, authenticated by Kevin Keating, are large and bold, all gem mint 10. Rudolph died in 1994. The lithograph is signed also by Jimmie Heuga, a U.S. skier who won the bronze medal at the 1964 Olympics. Multiple sclerosis ended Heuga’s career. Proceeds from the dinner benefited the Jimmie Heuga Center, established to help individuals with M.S. to live fuller and more normal lives through exercise and activity. Heuga passed away last year. The litho is professionally framed to 26” x 34”. The awards package also includes a 3.25” brass medal and an awards program featuring the same image used in the lithograph. John autographed his photo in the program. A purple velvet-covered box houses the medal. Also included are an 8.5” x 11” framed photo of the honorees (excluding Peete), a snapshot of John delivering his acceptance speech and a VHS of ESPN’s broadcast of the awards. Among John’s numerous awards, this is easily the most impressive in appearance!
Winning Bid $200
Lot 86. Huge Trophy Presented to Tommy John “In Honor of Your Outstanding Career.” John received this trophy, which is 3’ 4” (40”) tall, at the grand opening of the Rihga Royal Hotel in New York City in 1990. The wood base of the trophy is approximately 17” x 17”. A smaller plateau sits atop the base, which is crowned with a 7.5” tall cube that displays the plate honoring John. A 29” tall silver-plated trophy cup rests on the cube. The cup shows minor tarnishing, and the decoration on top of the cup’s lid is slightly off center. Its presence is striking. With the trophy is an OAL Bobby Brown baseball signed at the event by Tony Lo Bianco, the widely recognized actor; Ray Serra, who played Chief Sterns in two “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movies; Carol Alt, the model and actress; Karl Hofer, general manager of the hotel; Rod Gilbert, the Hall of Fame hockey player, and John. Gilbert’s autograph is ex-m 6, and John’s, nm 7; the others are nm-m 8 or stronger. Impressive!
Winning Bid $180
Lot 87. Tommy John 1966 “Favorite Chicago White Sox” Award. Tommy was a fan favorite wherever he played, and in 1966, White Sox fans selected him as their favorite in a contest sponsored by the team. The 18” wood and brass award rests on a 4.75” x 10” base. The clock is not working. Ex-m and accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity from John.
Winning Bid $121
Lot 88. Tommy John’s April 1974 N.L. Player of the Month Award, Helms Award and More! Pitching for the LA Dodgers in April 1974, John was close enough to perfect. Starting six games, he won five. In 46 innings, he yielded only five earned runs, for a 1.76 ERA. In recognition of his success, the N.L. Baseball Writers & Broadcasters selected him as the league’s top performer. For being chosen, the N.L. presented John with a pen and pencil set mounted in a marble-like 6.5” x 13” base. A brass plaque on the base, which has a facsimile signature of N.L. President Charles Feeney, provides the details. The pen holders are present, but the pens are not. The award is accompanied by a name plate from John’s desk and an apparent note pad holder. For his performance in April, John was honored also by the Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation, which formerly was the Helms Athletic Foundation. He received a 2.75” medal as the foundation’s Athlete of the Month. The medal is housed in a wood case with a brass plate recognizing John as the National League Player of the Week during 1977. The relevant medal is absent. In 1974, with 13 wins, only three losses and a 2.59 ERA, John was on his way to a possible Cy Young season when he injured his elbow. It would take 20 months of pain, hard work and courage for him to return to the mound again in 1976. Comes with an LoA from John.
Winning Bid $100
Lot 89. Tommy John’s 1977 “Dodger Pitcher of the Year Award” from the Go-Go Fan Club. Like the Baseball Writers Association of American, the Go-Go Dodgers Fan Club honored John as the team’s top pitcher. His 20-7 record and 2.78 ERA placed him among baseball’s elite for the season. The award consists of a working electric clock mounted in a wood frame and a figure of a pitcher. A brass plate on the 5” x 14” base describes John as the award’s recipient. The award is 9.75” tall. Nm. A Letter of Authenticity from John accompanies the award.
Minimum Bid $100
Lot 90. Autographed 1978 “Most Courageous Athlete Award” Presented to Tommy John. For his successful return from breakthrough surgery now named for him, John received the award from the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association. He added a large gem mint 10 signature to the 13” x 20.5” laminated plaque he received. The plaque contains his image, a brief description of why he received the award and the names of other winners beginning in 1936. The award places John in good company; previous winners include Mickey Cochrane, Dizzy Dean, “All Men of Courage in Our Armed Forces,” Ben Hogan, Eddie LeBaron, Babe Zaharias, Roy Campanella, Mickey Mantle, Bill Kilmer and Rocky Bleier. Ex to ex-m with a few border scratches and edge chips. LoA from John. Autograph authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $100
Lot 91. Tommy John American League “Pitcher of the Month” Watch for April 1979. Mint, unused Seiko quartz watch with the A.L. logo on the face. Engraved on the clasp is “April 1979, Tommy John, A.L. Pitcher of the Month.” John had a superb 1979 season for the Yankees, winning 21 games and recording a 2.96 ERA. Comes with a letter of authenticity from John.
Winning Bid $291
Lot 92. Tommy John Coaching Trophy and Signed Photo, Coach’s Cap and Plaque. As a volunteer coach in 1992, John led Westminster Academy of Fort Lauderdale, FL, to the state’s District 13 Class A championship. His successful efforts earned him state Coach of the Year honors. A 22” wood and brass trophy on a 4.75” x 14” base recognizes the team’s success. In 1999, John was an assistant coach for the Charlotte Christian School, which captured North Carolina’s 2A title. He signed the cap he wore as an assistant coach and a 9.75” x 12” plaque that contains a team photo. Both autographs are mint 9. John also autographed a plaque presented to him by Miami-Dade Community College as an “American sports hero, whose pride, professionalism and courage transcended beyond the field of competition” and “inspired many by overcoming obstacles which seemed difficult to conquer.” This signature on the 10.5” x 13” plaque is also mint 9. There are some scratches on the plaque. Three Tommy John autographs and an impressive trophy! Kevin Keating authenticated the autographs.
Minimum Bid $100
