1936 Dizzy Dean St. Louis Cardinals Home Jersey

Sold For:

$103,500

Year:

1936

Auction:

2004 Spring

Lot #:

63

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

One of the finest baseball jerseys to ever come to the marketplace, let alone as a new find to the collecting world. Circa 1936 Dizzy Dean St. Louis Cardinals white four button home flannel pullover jersey is embroidered "Cardinals" across the chest in red with blue trim, with the team's famous logo (a black bat with a cardinal on either end) embroidered directly above. "D. Dean" is stitched in red on the left front tail. Dean's number "17" appears on the reverse in red felt with black trim. A "42" size tag is in the collar, below the red silk Rawlings manufacturer's label. Red with blue piping runs around the neckline, down the button front, and also appears at the end of the sleeves. The red colors of the stitching and embroidery are unparalleled in their boldness. The jersey is in essentially Mint condition, exhibiting only the most minor wear, and looks exactly as it did when Dizzy Dean wore it in 1936. This jersey has for decades been a keepsake of a family who has no connection to the world of organized collecting. Pepper Martin originally gave the jersey as a gift to a close friend of the family, who in turn gave it as a gift to the consignor's family, who had two young boys. The boys considered the jersey to be their most prized possession, and kept it wrapped in tissue and stored inside a box, to keep it safe from damage and even exposure to light. As the years have passed, the brothers have become aware that the jersey has substantial value to collectors. After caring for it for decades, the time has finally come for the brothers to sell the jersey. As far as baseball uniforms of the era of the 1930s are concerned, only those of Ruth, Gehrig, and DiMaggio would be considered by most advanced collectors to be more desirable than that of Dizzy Dean. It is also the case that there are more examples of Ruth and Gehrig jerseys, and many more examples of DiMaggio jerseys, than that of Dizzy Dean. To the best of our knowledge there are only 3 Dizzy Dean jerseys known to exist (one road and two homes), and the offered example is the only 1936 Dizzy Dean St. Louis Cardinals home jersey known to exist. A letter accompanies the jersey from the family, detailing its history. This is an extremely rare style jersey, which was worn by the Cardinals only during the 1936 and possibly the 1937 seasons. Dean's pitching career began in 1932, and was brief but spectacular. Between 1932 and 1936 he won 120 games, including thirty in 1934. He was also one of the game's most popular and irrepressible characters, and the central figure of St. Louis' legendary "Gas House Gang" of the 1930s. Turning to the radio booth after his playing days, he delighted thousands of listeners with his homespun humor and unique take on the English language. Dizzy Dean earned his place in baseball history and the Hall of Fame on the diamond, but also made a lasting and powerful impression on popular American culture with his personality. Armed with the wisdom of Will Rogers, the communication skills of Yogi Berra, and possessed by the rowdy spirit of the Gas House Gang, Dizzy Dean is one of baseball's few larger-than-life personalities whose popularity and legend transcends the game. This Dizzy Dean jersey is an extraordinary find. It is one of the collecting world's most desirable baseball jerseys, and one of the greatest treasures of baseball memorabilia of any kind that could possibly exist from the 1930s. It is an honor for Robert Edward Auctions to present this exciting and fresh to the organized collecting world find. LOA from Dave Bushing & Dan Knoll/SCD Authentic. Reserve $25,000. Estimate $50,000/$75,000. SOLD FOR $103,500.00