(LOT 217)
Ultra-Scarce Lou Gehrig Single-Signed Official A.L. Harridge Baseball – Full PSA & JSA LOAs
SINGLE-SIGNED GEHRIG!!!... One of the hobby's momentous collectibles is a formidable single-signed baseball scripted by any of our National Pastime's pre-war legends. Interestingly enough, while Babe Ruth truly stands as baseball's greatest all-time player, his autographed horsehide sphere is certainly not scarce, with an abundance of signed Ruth balls available for the taking. On the other hand, the number of available single-signed balls for the Babe's sensational teammate, Henry Louis Gehrig, are few and far between. Gehrig's laid-back personality led to the iconic first sacker shying away from the limelight, resulting in a significantly less quantity of baseballs bearing his name. Of course, the tragic ALS disease that ultimately claimed his life on June 2, 1941 at the tender age of 37 was also a critical reason for the reduced quantity of signed Gehrig baseballs, especially considering Lou virtually stopped signing any artifact in the latter part of 1939 due to the instability of his hands. That said, presented here just happens to be one of the most sought-after artifacts extant, a bona fide single-signed Lou Gehrig Official A.L. William Harridge baseball!

Scripted on the west panel, Lou has penned in black fountain pen the following eloquent salutation: "To Richard – Best Wishes – Lou Gehrig." Authenticated by both PSA and JSA for ironclad authenticity, the world-class inscription and Gehrig autograph present itself in approximate "7" strength. As elite autograph enthusiasts surely realize, most of Lou Gehrig's signed baseballs reveal his signature on one of the side panels (as opposed to the sweet spot), with a majority of Gehrig's sweet spot signatures being part of Yankee team signed balls from the 1935-1938 era. Based on the autograph style, this Lou Gehrig salutation was most likely penned in the mid to later 1930s, with the loop in the "L" and "u" literally overlapping with the "G" due to the close proximity of "Lou" with the "Gehrig" surname (a typical Gehrig signing trait from the latter part of his illustrious career). The ball itself presents well, revealing typical toning, tight red stitching, and a breathtaking "OFFICIAL American League Ball – William Harridge, Pres." bold blue stamping on the sweet spot. Likewise, the official "Reach Trademark" stamping is completely intact, the final superlative for one of the finest single-signed Gehrig balls on the planet.

While we are unaware of the circumstances correlated with this scripted ball and Richard's relationship with the mighty Iron Horse, fan or friend, what we do know with 100% certainty is the rarity and celebrated stature of any single-signed Gehrig official A.L. baseball. Lou Gehrig is considered one of the five greatest hitters of all-time, with the great Ted Williams ranking him #2 only behind the incomparable George Herman Ruth. His lifetime batting feats include a .340 average, 493 round-trippers, nearly 2,000 runs batted in, and an unfathomable 1.080 OPS, the third highest mark in baseball history (behind only Ruth and Williams). Yet, when all is said and done, it is his amazing 2,130 consecutive-game streak and iconic July 4, 1939 "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech that truly define this giant of a man. The unequivocal embodiment of a National hero, the Iron Horse's immense courage will forever stand the test of time, substantiating why this extraordinary single-signed baseball is the perfect testament for his unparalleled immortality!

MIN BID $5,000
_