This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/4/2021
Offered is the official New York Giants ring presented to infielder Bill Rigney to honor the 221 homeruns tallied by the team for the 1947 season. The ring is in excellent condition. "New York Giants" wraps around the top with "1947 HR Record" underneath. "221" highlighted by red is found inside a ball diamond. On each side is scroll work and a bat and ball. Inside, "Bill Rigney" is engraved.
The ring was housed as part of the MEARS Museum collection. When presented for display, Dave Grob provided the following article to celebrate the museum exhibit:
During the 1947 major league season, some 5,587,256 fans took in games in New York (Yankees – 2,178,937; Dodgers – 1,807,526; Giants – 1,600,793). It was the summer of Jackie Robinson and Joe DiMaggio, with each team bringing home a championship ring. But what about the Giants and the happenings at the Polo Grounds? Probably one of the best and most overlooked stories in baseball history.
True, the 1947 Giants finished in 4th place and some thirteen games out of contention, but this was hardly a weak hitting ball club. As a matter of fact, nothing could have been further from the truth. When it was all said and done, the Giants clubbed a major league record 221 home runs. How did they fare against the rest of the senior circuit?
New York Giants 221
Pittsburgh Pirates 156
St. Louis Cardinals 115
Cincinnati Reds 95
Boston Braves 85
Brooklyn Dodgers 83
Chicago Cubs 71
Philadelphia Phillies 60
By comparison, 221 homes runs was a staggering number compared to the rest of the league. Even the vaulted Bronx Bombers across the Harlem River only posted 115 long balls for the 1947 campaign.
While “The Big Cat” Johnny Mize had a career season, so did a number of his team mates with sixteen players making home run contributions:
Johnny Mize 51
Willard Marshall 36
Walker Cooper 35
Bobby Thomson 29
Bill Rigney 17
Sid Gordon 13
Jack Lohrke 11
Buddy Kehr 7
Gary Gearhart 6
Ernie Lombardi 4
Clint Hartung 4
Mickey Witek 3
Joe Lafta 2
Bobby Rhawn 1
Ray Poat 1
Mort Cooper 1
While the Giants would not garner the post season money or hardware that the Yankees or Dodgers did, team owner Horace Stoneham had wonderful rings commissioned for his players to mark their achievement. Considering these rings were given to all players, coaches, and some front office personnel, it’s amazing how few of these gorgeous artifacts have shown up on the secondary market. In addition to the Gene “Junior” Thompson ring that was donated to the National Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009, this is what I can find records of:
Johnny Mize
Non-Named Example
Bill Rigney (Previously displayed as part of the MEARS MUSEUM COLLECTION)
This is a smaller number than those that have appeared on the market from either the Dodgers or the Yankees:
Brooklyn Dodgers:
Leo Durocher
Ray Blades
Buzzie Bavasi
Fresco Thompson
George Sisler
Spencer Harris
New York Yankees:
Red Corridon
Bill Bevins
Allie Clark
Paul Kirchell
Unique opportunity to add a rare, historic, and desirable ring to your collection.
31G0278
(MEARS Auction LOA)