1972 Willie Mays Signed Game-Used Cleats

Sold For:

$3,600

Year:

1973

Auction:

2017 Spring

Lot #:

2043

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

Pair of black Adidas baseball cleats worn by Willie Mays during his first season with the Mets in 1972. Ideally, these cleats come with impeccable provenance: they were personally obtained from Mays by our consignor at the 1972 Mayor's Trophy Game held at Yankee Stadium on August 24th. (The Mayor's Trophy Game was an annual in-season exhibition game played between the Mets and Yankees from 1963 to 1983, with all of the gate proceeds donated to charitable causes.) Our consignor was the visiting-team batboy for the Yankees that year and, as such, he was able to obtain numerous game-used items and autographs from the players at the time. Accompanying the cleats are a one-page letter of provenance from our consignor, as well as a photo of him posing on the field with Mays prior to the game. The cleats display moderate-to-heavy wear. Mays' uniform number ("24") is written in black marker on the tongue of the right-foot cleat, while Mays has autographed the tongue on the left-foot cleat in blue marker (grading "6"). Auction LOA from James Spence/JSA. Pre certified by Steve Grad and Brian Sobrero/Beckett Authentication. Reserve $300. Estimate (open).