1950 Ted Williams Signed Boston Red Sox Game-Used Home Uniform - MEARS A9.5

Sold For:

$111,000

Year:

1950

Auction:

2019 Fall

Lot #:

15

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

Boston Red Sox home uniform (pants and jersey) worn by Hall of Fame outfielder Ted Williams in 1950. Graded A9.5 by MEARS. This is an extremely early Ted Williams jersey and one of only a few we have seen dating prior to 1951. The fact that it is a high-grade home example signed by Williams, and comes complete with the original pants, makes it especially significant. The white flannel jersey is lettered "Red Sox" across the chest and features the number "9" on the reverse. All letters and numerals are appliquéd in red on blue felt. Williams' name and the sleeve length ("Williams 2 in S") are chain-stitched in black upon a white strip tag in the collar. Located on the left front tail are a "Wilson" label, a "Tim McAuliffe" label, a "44" size tag, and a laundry tag. Williams has signed the jersey, "Best Wishes/Ted Williams" in black marker (grading "9") on the left chest. Despite the lack of a year tag, MEARS has conclusively dated the jersey to the 1950 season by an analysis of the red soutache that trims the collar and placket area. The application is atypical for Red Sox jerseys of the period; however, the pattern seen here can been matched to photos of Williams in uniform from 1950 (Plates IV to XI in the MEARS LOA). An original 1951 American League "Golden Anniversary" patch appears on the left sleeve. As noted by MEARS in its accompanying LOA, the patch, which was removed and then reapplied, is not original to the uniform (MEARS mentions that it is possible that the patch was applied during spring training of 1951, but no corroboration has been found). Aside from that minor anomaly, the jersey is original as issued, with no other alterations. The matching white flannel pants feature Williams' name chain-stitched in black upon a white strip tag in the waistband. A second white strip tag features the inseam measurement and custom weight of the pants ("33 ins 4 1/2 oz") chain-stitched in black. Also located in the waistband are a "36" size tag and a "Tim McAuliffe" label. Both the jersey and pants display light-to-moderate wear, including light staining on the front of the jersey (most notably on the sleeve and shoulder areas) and on the pant legs. The lack of heavy use on this jersey is consistent with it being from 1950. Williams missed nearly the entire second half of the season after breaking his elbow while crashing into the left-field wall during the 1950 All-Star Game in Chicago. Williams required surgery two days later and the fracture was so severe that doctors initially feared that it was a career-ending injury. Luckily for Williams, the surgery was successful and he was able to return to the lineup for the final two weeks of the season. Despite missing half the season, Williams still managed to put up numbers that would make most other players envious: 28 home runs, 97 RBI, and a .317 batting average. He even managed to finish in the top 25 of the MVP voting at season's end. Ted Williams game-used jerseys have always been highly prized and this particular example represents one of the finest examples we have handled. Full LOA from Dave Grob/MEARS (for the jersey only; MEARS does not provide LOAs for pants). Full LOA from Steve Grad and Brian Sobrero/Beckett Authentication Services (for the signature only). Reserve $50,000. Estimate (open).