Auction Item Details
Lot 335
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Lot Number: 335
Description: Unique and historic April 20, 1912 Fenway Park Opening Day First Pitched baseball. At the time, Red Sox owner John Taylor's plan to sell himself a cheap plot of land in the "Fens" of Boston and in turn increase the value of his baseball franchise seemed nothing other then ordinary in the course of such business. Taylor's plan succeeded without fanfare as he was in in fact able to sell the team to new owners Jim McAleer and Robert McRoy even before the final construction was complete. One hundred years later there are few if any remaining landmarks in the United States whose resume for drama within the theatre of sport equal that of Boston's Fenway Park. Beginning with the elite championship teams of the 1912-18 era and continuing with the 1940-50s team led by the immortal Ted Williams. The 1960-70s era saw the resurgence of the Red Sox behind players such as Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice although the drought of a championship began to reach emergent levels. The 1980s brought a new group of championship caliber players to Fenway Park once again falling just short of the World Championship that had eluded the club since 1918. Finally, in 2004 and again in 2007 the champagne once again flowed within the brick walls of Fenway as the Red Sox regained the title of World Champions that had eluded, or by popular opinion, haunted them for so many years. Through all of the players, renovations, advertising displays, managerial changes, and world events Fenway Park remained a constant. The stadium that has called Boston home for 100 years serves, in a fashion, as an old friend or "family" property that stirs the soul upon first sight on return. In celebration of this historic 100th anniversary of Fenway Park we are honored to present this hallowed piece of Boston baseball history dating to the April 20, 1912 contest. The ball itself is an official American League baseball with appropriate Ban Johnson President stampings. Its origin began within the personal collection of former Major League Baseball umpire and Hall of Fame member Tommy Connolly who served as one of the umpires for the inaugural game. The ball displays numerous period inscriptions which are quite possibly in hand of umpire Connolly to include, "First Ball Pitched Saturday April 20, 1912 Opening of Fenway Park", "New York-6 Boston-7 11 Innings" , "Batteries O'Brien -P- Caldwell NY" , "Boston Nunamaker-Street", "Umpires T.H. Connolly & Bob Hart". The ball itself remains in fine overall condition with clearly legible stampings of manufacture and having one surface abrasion to a side panel. This particular baseball most certainly held a special place within the collection of Tommy Connolly as evidenced by the fact that Connolly only retained similar baseballs of significance within his personal collection. Several other examples having originated from the Connolly collection include1916 Opening Day baseball signed by President Woodrow Wilson, 1918 Baseball used in the first Sunday Major League Baseball game, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig autographed baseball, and the 1921 Opening Day baseball signed by President Calvin Coolidge. Impressive are they all, but with due respect none compare to the iconic status enjoyed by the Fenway Park specimen. The significance of this particular baseball cannot be overstated. Its origins trace to the very inception of professional baseball within Fenway Park which to date stands as the oldest operating stadium within Major League Baseball. So as we celebrate the pitch to be thrown on opening day of the 2012 season, the 100th in the history of Fenway Park, the offered baseball provides an appropriate window to the past by which Red Sox fans may look back at the storied history of the franchise, its players, and the quaint yet primitive ball park that so many have called "home". Includes LOAs from Hunt Auctions and JSA ((period notations): EXEstimated Price Range: (Estimate Upon Request)
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