I enjoy collecting vintage game-worn sports jerseys. I mostly collect basketball jerseys, but I’ve acquire a couple of hockey sweaters over the years.
Granted, my collection tends to gravitate toward minor league and international gear – for example, my wife’s sister, who lives in Israel, brought back a Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball jersey for me the last time she visited. And sometimes I’ve shown up at my local team trivia haunts wearing a Rochester Razorsharks or Vermont Frost Heaves game jersey. Fun stuff. Especially when my trivia opponents ask me, “Chuck, what’s a Frost Heave?”
That being said, this Saturday, I’m getting in the Pontiac and driving to Mohegan Sun Casino – not to donate my paycheck to the Mohegan Nation one dice roll at a time, but instead to photograph one of the most important sports memorabilia auctions of the year. Grey Flannel Auctions, one of the country’s leading sports memorabilia auction houses, will hold their annual Hall of Fame Auction in conjunction with the Basketball Hall of Fame inductions.
Last year, I attended and photographed the Hall of Fame auction, which featured some absolutely stunning and rare lots for bid. Think about this for a second – I was staring, clear as day, at Bill Russell’s game-worn, autographed Boston Celtics jersey. Not a store-bought jersey – not a fantasy replica – but an actual, eleven-championship-ring-earning #6 white home jersey. And I saw it sell for $78,000. Wow.
This year’s auction includes some absolutely breathtaking gear, including Michael Jordan’s rookie Chicago Bulls jersey from 1985; a “Player of the Decade” trophy awarded to Boston Celtic legend Bob Cousy; the 1962 game program issued when Wilt Chamberlain scored an NBA-record 100 points in a single contest; and the backboard against which Michael Jordan scored his final points as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
Being the Continental Basketball Association stat geek that I am, the one lot that absolutely intrigues me is the Fly Williams Spirits of St. Louis jersey. James Williams was a legend of the Harlem Rucker League, where he once scored 100 points in an all-star game – 45 for one team, then 55 as a member of the opposing team. While playing at Austin Peay University, Fly Williams was one of the top scorers in college ball, and inspired one of the greatest all-time college hoops chants by the fans of Austin Peay: “The Fly is Open! Let’s Go Peay! The Fly Is Open!! Let’s Go Peay!!” After his college and ABA career, Fly played for several teams in the CBA, including the Hazleton (Pa.) Bullets. It was during that stint that the coach of Hazleton offered to trade Fly Williams to a team in Long Island for $25. The Long Island coach told his players he would take the deal, and the players said, “Coach, we’ll give you $25 each if you DON’T take Fly Williams.”
The auction will coincide with a special banquet Thursday night at the Basketball Hall of Fame, in which the Hall of Famers – past and present – will have a chance to dine and relax before their induction ceremonies later that week.
So from Thursday to Sunday, my little Nikon D700 and I will be photographing everything from arriving inductees to winning bidders. You can also visit greyflannelauctions.com to find out more about the auction – and if you want to place a bid on one or more of the items there.
Unfortunately, there’s no Albany Patroons gear there, or I’d max out my credit card to get something. Come on, try to outbid me for a T.J. Thompson #5 home jersey… just try!
Chuck The Writer 