Baseball Contracts

9153. Bobby Murcer’s Game-Used Baseball Bat. Bobby Murcer’s game-used circa 1970–71 Hillerich & Bradsby Louisville Slugger W215 Curtis Blefary professional model baseball bat, with Murcer’s distinctive pad taped to the handle and his number “1” written on the knob in black felt tip. The flame-burned ash bat measures 34.5˝ long, weighs 31.3 ounces, and features the facsimile signature of Murcer’s teammate Curtis Blefary engraved on the barrel. It is uncracked and exhibits outstanding evidence of use, with many ball marks, stitch impressions, and cleat marks to the barrel, and a moderate coat of pine tar. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA, commenting: “The notable feature of this Bobby Murcer professional model bat is his familiar padded handle. Murcer applied the pad to his bats after a hand injury in the late 1960’s. The inclusion of the pad provides what we believe to be strong evidence that this bat was game used by Bobby Murcer.” Murcer and Blefary were teammates on the New York Yankees in 1970 and the first couple months of 1971, before Blefary was dealt to the Oakland Athletics. Murcer had his breakout year in ‘71, hitting .331 with 25 homers and 94 RBI. Starting Bid $200

9154. Steve Carlton Trade Contract . Notable Major

League Baseball trade contract between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies, one page, 8.5 x 11, February 25, 1972. The contract, a “Uniform Agreement for the Assignment of a Player’s Contract to or by a Major League Club,” affirms that the Cardinals assign to the Phillies “the contract of Player Steven Norman Carlton…In exchange for the contract of player, Richard Charles Wise.” Signed at the conclusion by Cardinals General Manager Bing Devine and Phillies General Manager John J. Quinn. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200

The trade that brought Mays back to New York to end his glorious MLB career

9155. Willie Mays 1972 Trade Contracts. Fascinating pair of Major League Baseball contracts related to the Mets and Giants trade of Willie Mays and Charlie Williams, both one page, 8.5 x 11, May 11, 1972. Each document is a “Uniform Agreement for the Assignment of a Player’s Contract to or by a Major League Club” for Charles Prosek Williams; the first is between Tidewater Professional Sports and the Metropolitan Baseball Club, which recalls Williams “from the Tidewater Club to the New York Mets,” and the second is between the Metropolitan Baseball Club and the National Exhibition Company (San Francisco Giants), which features an “Outright” trade caption: “The contract of the above named player plus a cash consideration of $75,000…to the San Francisco Giants for the contract of Willie Howard Mays, Jr.” The latter contract is signed at the conclusion by Mets and Giants brass Bob Scheffing and Horace Stoneham. In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $200

9156. Ozzie Smith Signed Contract and Checks (3). Four items signed

by Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith, including: a contract renewal from the San Diego Padres, signed “Osborne E. Smith,” one page, 8.5 x 11, March 6, 1980, which affirms that the club has renewed his Uniform Player’s Contract and will pay him $72,500; the contract is countersigned by Bob Fontaine, Sr. Also included are three National League of Professional Baseball Clubs checks, each 8.25 x 3, dated to 1986 and 1987, each filled out in type and made payable to Ozzie Smith for $200, with Smith endorsing the reverse of each check in ballpoint. The memo fields note “All Star Game” expenses, with each check individually countersigned by National League Presidents Chub Feeney, Bart Giamatti, and Bill White. In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $200