Appraisal Video: (2:36)
Appraised By:
Simeon Lipman
Sports Memorabilia
Freeman's Auctioneers
Appraisal Transcript:
GUEST: In 1944, Meeker, Oklahoma, hometown of Carl Hubbell, decided to have a baseball team. And we didn't have any money, enough money to buy uniforms, so, uh, the doctor there, the only doctor in town, got in touch with Carl in New York, and he sent us a dozen uniforms, the Giants' practice uniforms. And we used those for three years.
APPRAISER: And Carl Hubbell, the great New York Giants pitcher, Hall-of-Fame pitcher... The left-handed, best-of-all- time, the screwball master.
GUEST: The screwball man, right.
APPRAISER: And we have an actual picture of him here. That's Carl Hubbell. So he's the gentleman who procured these...
GUEST: That's right.
APPRAISER: for your team, his hometown.
GUEST: Yes, sir.
APPRAISER: Very cool. And you received this particular jersey with this name tag right here, "Lombardi," and that's Ernie Lombardi, the catcher, the Hall-of-Famer as well. The Schnozz.
GUEST: The Schnozz, right.
APPRAISER: He was a big catcher. He was a big guy. He was kind of a lumbering line-drive hitter, a great hitter. He didn't run very fast, but boy, he could hit and hit hard,
GUEST: That's right.
APPRAISER: and, uh, he made a great career for himself, and, uh, eventually made it all the way to Cooperstown.
GUEST: Yeah, he was slower than cold molasses. (laughs) (laughing) He had to hit the fence to get to first base.
APPRAISER: That's right. He actually joined the Giants in 1943, and Carl Hubbell's last year...
GUEST: Was '43.
APPRAISER: was '43. So we can guesstimate that this jersey is 1943, Ernie Lombardi's first season with the Giants. Here we have a baseball card, with Ernie wearing a very similar uniform. Heck, it might be the same one, possibly.
GUEST: It could be. Very similar.
APPRAISER: It shows the zipper.
GUEST: Yep, yep.
APPRAISER: It's very similar. And here you are wearing the jersey right here.
GUEST: That's it.
APPRAISER: This jersey, considering its age, is in pretty remarkable condition, and the colors really pop. And the stitching is amazing. I mean, we're really impressed by the way this has survived all these years. There's some condition issues, but all in all, I mean, for a flannel jersey from this time period, it's really nice, and so it's a rare jersey, it's certainly a desirable jersey, because it's the New York Giants, very collectible. It's a Hall-of-Famer, Ernie Lombardi. At auction, I'd be very comfortable estimating this jersey at $10,000 to $15,000. (laughing): So... it's a... it's a heck of a piece.
GUEST: (laughs): You're kidding me! Yeah. It's a great uniform just to get. Good gosh! I can hardly believe that. (laughs)
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