Discovery Made About Gehrig Jersey Up For Auction
From SABR member Peter J. Nash at Hauls of Shame on May 6:
Since it went on the auction block last month, a 1938 Lou Gehrig Yankee road jersey has been the subject of almost endless speculation and scrutiny by experts, collectors and hobby uniform aficionados. Disputed claims of alleged ”Photo Matches” by the auction house selling the garment tomorrow fueled speculation about the grey flannel jersey, which once sold in 1991 for a reported “world record” price of $220,000. But with a startling last minute discovery by John Rogers, founder of the JohnRogersArchive.com, one of the largest sports photo archives in the world, it could be a whole new ball-game.
Last year Rogers purchased the entire photo archive of The Sporting News and while browsing through a stack of some of his 3 million TSN images yesterday, he made a stunning discovery.
Rogers found a 1942 wire photo of a display case in a legendary New York City restaurant, which includes what appears to be the exact jersey being auctioned-off at Robert Edward Auctions this weekend. It looks like the same jersey with identical button placement and the exact same chain-stitching in the collar. The jersey was displayed in 1942, just three years after Gehrig’s consecutive game streak ended, with a handwritten index card written by ex-major leaguer and “Baseball Clown Prince” Al Schacht, that stated:
“THE LAST UNIFORM WORN BY LOU GEHRIG-WORLD SERIES 1939″
Read the full article here: http://haulsofshame.com/blog/?p=7149
Originally published: May 7, 2011. Last Updated: May 7, 2011.