Grey Flannel Holds Summer Games Auction

Highlights Include Muhammad Ali's "The Rumble In The Jungle" Trunks

May 12, 2016

Bidding for Grey Flannel's Summer Games Auction featuring game-used memorabilia from all major sports is officially underway. The 825-lot online auction will close on Wednesday, May 25.
Muhammad Ali's fight-worn trunks from "The Rumble In The Jungle," offered as Lot #574, gets top billing in this sale. After being stripped of his title and suspended from boxing, Ali had to climb back to the top of the sport but was unable to reach its peak after losing the “Fight Of The Century” against Joe Frazier. But, as champions do, Ali rebounded, earning a title fight against a bruising, athletically superior George Foreman, a fighter with a perfect 40-0 record at the age of 25. Ali was an 8-to-1 underdog against the champion in the Oct. 30, 1974 match. It was one of the most promoted and widely covered events of the modern sports era. The trunks have documentation from Ali's business manager, Gene Kilroy, who could be seen in Ali's corner on that historic night.
It wouldn't be a Grey Flannel Premier Auction without Michael Jordan. He arrives in a big way via Lot #562, the finest known 1992 United States Men's Olympic Basketball "Dream Team" jersey, which Jordan game-used and autographed. This jersey was sourced from NBA personality Craig Sager via the United States Olympic Committee. The "Dream Team" is regarded as the greatest sports team ever assembled for competition. The jersey is considered to be in the upper echelon of Jordan items ever to be auctioned.
Lot #1 is an all-original New York Giants Willie Mays game-used home flannel jersey from the franchise's final season in New York. The jersey was directly sourced from the team and is brand new to the hobby - one of the finer Mays New York Giants examples ever to surface. Lots #4 and #5 are two Brooklyn Dodgers flannels. The 1952 Roy Campanella and 1949 Gil Hodges pieces are in all-original condition and were both worn in seasons during which the Brooklyn Dodgers reached the World Series.
Ichiro Suzuki's Orix BlueWave game-used and autographed road jersey appears in the sale with a starting reserve of $2,500. Suzuki had great success in Japan before moving stateside to share his talents with America. This 1995 example is when Suzuki earned the Pacific League MVP Award and earned one of his many batting titles. It was gifted directly to Julio Franco.
There's no shortage of quality apparel worn on the hardwood. Grey Flannel Auctions is proud to offer the ultimate Kobe Bryant collection to coincide with his final season in the NBA. Lots #533 through #556 are Bryant jerseys, warm-up jackets, shooting shirts and sneakers from different points throughout his storied career, including championship seasons, and MVP seasons. Highlights include a 2008 game-used and autographed home jersey, an autographed rookie road jersey, a 2012 Christmas Day autographed game-used uniform when he scored 34 points, and unique sneakers, such as the ones he wore with a special colorway for Martin Luther King Day, and a pair in which he scored 40 points in a playoff game.
And while on the subject of high-scoring basketball performances, Grey Flannel is also offering a photo-matched 1/24/1978 "Pistol Pete" Maravich New Orleans Jazz game-used home jersey in which he scored 31 points against the Boston Celtics.
The fully illustrated catalog is available to view by visiting www.GreyFlannelAuctions.com.
For additional information on any item, call 631-288-7800, ext. 223; or email info@greyflannelauctions.com.
All images courtesy Grey Flannel Auctions.

 

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