This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/9/2022
For fans of the Milwaukee Braves, this game used baseball epitomizes the success of the cities most beloved franchise.
On October 7th, 1957, the New York Yankees took the field at Milwaukee County Stadium to battle the hometown Braves for game 5 of the World Series. Reacting to the comments spewed by the Yankees where the team was called “Bushville”, Aaron, Mathews, Spahnie, and the rest of the squad were determined to show the Braves could beat the mighty Gotham crew.
Eventually being named the World Series MVP, Lou Burdette notched his second of three victories for the game 5 win. Mathews contributed to the win going 1-3, and Hank Aaron continued with his MVP season prowess by batting 2-3. Behind Burdette’s masterful pitching, the Braves beat the Yanks, 1-0.
This lot offers one of the most important items of memorabilia associated with Wisconsin’s only World Series victory, a game used baseball. During the 1950-60s, a Milwaukee area security guard patrolled the bleachers at County Stadium and retrieved many of the baseballs which were launched into the stands. The collection of baseballs remained in his collection until he passed, where they were inherited by the owner’s daughter Louis. She kept the baseballs until selling them to Wisconsin Sports Collectors Association founding member Mike Rodell.
There were several dozen baseballs collected during his tenure as a security guard at County Stadium. With painstaking accuracy, the original owner retrieved the foul and homerun baseballs which were launched into the sectioned off bleacher stands where fans were not permitted to sit. After capturing the catapulted orbs, each baseball was carefully documented with respect to the date, player, and type of hit.
Having access to the lockeroom, the baseballs were each placed back in a Spalding box for long term safe keeping. The carefully written notations were done at the time of each event and were done in the security guard’s own hand.
This baseball and its original Spalding box was noted, “ World Series 1957, Game 5, Bob Buhl vs. Yankees, 2.” Review of the box scores confirms that Whitey Ford was the pitcher, therefore adding extra value to the historic relic. The reference to “2” indicated there were two 1957 World Series baseballs in the collection. The 2nd is part of the MEARS Museum Collection and not available.
At a later date, Hank Aaron blessed this historic World Series baseball with a near mint, blue ink signature signed on the sweetspot. The baseball was signed under the supervision of Steiner Sports and bears their hologram.