Spring 2008 - Item detail
1962-1965 Jim Brown Cleveland Browns Signed Game-Used Home Jersey
- Sold For:
- $70,500
- Year:
- 1962
- Auction:
- 2008 Spring
- Lot #:
- 1524
- Category:
- Boxing/Golf/Other Cards or Memorabilia
Babe Ruth, Wilt Chamberlain, Wayne Gretzky. Every sport has its own icon, a larger-than-life figure whose performance on the field of play far surpassed that of any player before him. In football, that player was Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown. Despite the fact that he only played nine seasons (1957-1965), Brown shattered nearly every NFL career and single-season offensive record on the books including rushing yards, total yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and total yards from scrimmage. He also led the NFL in rushing a record eight times and was the first player to rush for over 100 touchdowns. Today, he still holds the career record for yards per carry (5.2) and is the only running back in history to average over 100 yards per game. As impressive as those numbers are, they fail to tell the whole story. Brown possessed an incomparable combination of size, speed, and power. In describing the Hall of Fame back, legendary sportswriter Red Smith once wrote "For mercurial speed, airy nimbleness, and explosive violence in one package of undistilled evil, there is no other like Mr. Brown." Most of the defensive players from that era probably echoed that sentiment. Perhaps his most extraordinary accomplishment is the fact that in nine full seasons, playing at a position where injuries are common, Brown never missed a game. His postseason honors include nine consecutive Pro Bowl selections, the 1957 Rookie of the Year Award and four NFL Most Valuable Player Awards (1957, 1958, 1963, and 1965). Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971 and is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and Lacrosse Hall of Fame. In 2002 he received his highest honor when The Sporting News , in compiling a list of the top 100 football players in history, ranked Brown the greatest football player of all time.
Offered here is one of the most rare and historically significant NFL game jerseys in existence: a Cleveland Browns home jersey, dating between the years 1962 and 1965, worn by the immortal Jim Brown. Graded a perfect A10 by MEARS. The brown "tear-away" jersey features the number "32" on the front, reverse, and each sleeve. All of the numerals are appliquéd in white tackle twill. Both a "King O'Shea" label and adjacent "48" size tag are situated in the crotch strap. Brown has signed the jersey in black marker (grading "10") on the reverse numeral "3," where he has also personally attested to its game-used status by further adding "Game Jersey" below his name. The jersey is completely original, with no alterations, and displays moderate wear throughout. Jim Brown game jerseys are exceedingly rare. The offered jersey is not only the first Jim Brown game jersey we have ever seen (let alone offered), but is also the only example ever seen by MEARS or documented in the MEARS population report. Ruth, Gehrig, Jordan, Gretzky...several (or more) examples of game-worn jerseys from each of these legends exists. This is the only documented Jim Brown jersey known to date, and it would be hard to imagine a finer example. This jersey dates to Brown's final four seasons with the Browns. Brown led the League in both carries and rushing yards in each of his final three seasons, including a career high 1,863 yards in 1963 (in only fourteen games). He also led the Browns to a League Championship in 1964. By any measure, this is one of the finest football jerseys one could ever hope to obtain, and one that we believe would universally be deemed worthy of permanent display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This monumental jersey is a relatively new discovery to the collecting world. It surfaced for the very first time at the 2007 National Sports Collectors Convention, as the prize item from a remarkable museum-quality fresh-to-the-hobby collection of Cleveland Browns material originating from players and team sources. The jersey was personally purchased by world-renowned jersey and bat authenticator David Bushing and has been consigned to this auction directly from his personal collection/inventory. LOAs from Dave Bushing & Troy Kinunen/MEARS and James Spence/JSA. Reserve $10,000. Estimate $20,000++. SOLD FOR $70,500.00
Offered here is one of the most rare and historically significant NFL game jerseys in existence: a Cleveland Browns home jersey, dating between the years 1962 and 1965, worn by the immortal Jim Brown. Graded a perfect A10 by MEARS. The brown "tear-away" jersey features the number "32" on the front, reverse, and each sleeve. All of the numerals are appliquéd in white tackle twill. Both a "King O'Shea" label and adjacent "48" size tag are situated in the crotch strap. Brown has signed the jersey in black marker (grading "10") on the reverse numeral "3," where he has also personally attested to its game-used status by further adding "Game Jersey" below his name. The jersey is completely original, with no alterations, and displays moderate wear throughout. Jim Brown game jerseys are exceedingly rare. The offered jersey is not only the first Jim Brown game jersey we have ever seen (let alone offered), but is also the only example ever seen by MEARS or documented in the MEARS population report. Ruth, Gehrig, Jordan, Gretzky...several (or more) examples of game-worn jerseys from each of these legends exists. This is the only documented Jim Brown jersey known to date, and it would be hard to imagine a finer example. This jersey dates to Brown's final four seasons with the Browns. Brown led the League in both carries and rushing yards in each of his final three seasons, including a career high 1,863 yards in 1963 (in only fourteen games). He also led the Browns to a League Championship in 1964. By any measure, this is one of the finest football jerseys one could ever hope to obtain, and one that we believe would universally be deemed worthy of permanent display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This monumental jersey is a relatively new discovery to the collecting world. It surfaced for the very first time at the 2007 National Sports Collectors Convention, as the prize item from a remarkable museum-quality fresh-to-the-hobby collection of Cleveland Browns material originating from players and team sources. The jersey was personally purchased by world-renowned jersey and bat authenticator David Bushing and has been consigned to this auction directly from his personal collection/inventory. LOAs from Dave Bushing & Troy Kinunen/MEARS and James Spence/JSA. Reserve $10,000. Estimate $20,000++. SOLD FOR $70,500.00