This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/1/2015
Baseball historians cannot help but get excited about the details of this lot. Originally sourced directly from the estate of Tony Lazzeri, this is one of two known surviving game worn glove examples that come with letters of provenance from the family. A key member of the famous “Murderer’s Row” 1927 Yankees team, the history, game wear, and provenance elevates the importance of this glove for inclusion of the most prestigious collections.
Anthony Michael “Tony” Lazzeri (1903-1946), was a Hall of Fame second basement for the New York Yankees and considered by many to be the greatest ever at his position.
Lazzeri was an integral part of the famed "Murderers' Row" Yankee batting lineup of the late 1920s (most notably the legendary 1927 team), along with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Bob Meusel. He was also the first person to hit two grand slams in one game in 1936 vs Athletics.
Lazzeri was born and raised in San Francisco, California. He dropped out of school to work with his father as a boilermaker, but at the age of 18, began to play baseball professionally. He was a member of the original American League All-Star team in 1933. He was nicknamed "Poosh 'Em Up" by Italian-speaking fans, from a mistranslation of an Italian phrase meaning to "hit it out" (hit a home run).
Lazzeri is one of only 14 major league baseball players to hit for the natural cycle (hitting a single, double, triple and home run in sequence) and the only player to complete a natural cycle with a grand slam. Lazzeri was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1991.
The glove was thoroughly examined by MEARS and was determined to be authentic in every respect. The evaluation determined the following:
Dating: Per the style of the red cloth Spalding label patch on the exterior wrist strap, the gloves dates from the 1920s through the 1930s, thus spanning the entire career of Lazzeri with the Yankees. Available images from 1938, featuring Lazzeri with the Cubs, show him using a glove sans the custom white athletic tape. Although it is possible he added the tape at a later date and used this glove during his post Yankee career, the examined image provided us with the back end of the date range, 1937.
Manufacturer (Spalding): The glove is stamped “Professional Model” and “Spalding” on the inside index finger. Based on available images of Lazzeri playing the infield, this exact model of glove is pictured. A red lettered Spalding button is found on the reverse and remains in near mint condition, while showing appropriate game wear.
Wear: Glove exhibits heavy game wear, with the palm being perfectly broken in. The lace webbing is 100% intact and includes custom white athletic tape, a personal player trait documented to have been personally applied by Lazzeri. An accompanying image documents this practice by Lazzeri.
Player traits: Mentioned above, the application of the white athletic tape to the lace pocket is very important to the authenticity of the glove. Comparison to the available image shows Lazzeri’s glove, the same model as this sample, with the white athletic tape applied nearly (or possibly exactly) identical to the actual glove. To think that while contemplating his job as second basement for the Yanks, Lazzeri took the time to personally apply the tape with his own two hands. Although the letter from his son does serve as the official letter of authenticity, Lazzeri himself blessed this glove during this customization process. Supported by the accompanying photo, this trait confirms beyond a doubt this glove was worn proudly by Lazzeri, a fact not often found with game worn gloves.
Provenance: Originally sold as part of the Tony Lazzeri estate sale, the following letter of provenance accompanies this lot:
“Dear Collector,
I do hereby state that the following item, sold on August 14th, 2003, was the personal property of my father, Tony Lazzeri. Prior to its inclusion in the aforementioned auction, the lot described above has been in the sole possession of the Lazzeri family. It is my sincere wish that you cherish and enjoy this item as my family and I have for so many years.
Sincerely,
David Anthony Lazzeri
(Tony Lazzeri Jr)
Due to the personal nature of game worn gloves, they rarely come to market. Additionally, examples with iron-clad provenance are no existent.
To own a game worn glove, a very personal item that was owned by a Hall Of Fame New York Yankee is quite a collecting achievement. This lot offers the opportunity to own a glove that has a very specific and documented player trait (white tape) that is supported both by family provenance and photo support. Simply one of the finest surviving artifacts associated with the 1927 World Champion New York Yankees and Tony Lazzeri. Bid with confidence.
LOA Tony Lazzeri Jr. / Troy R. Kinunen / MEARS