A baseball connecting one of Washington’s all-time greats and one of the more popular modern U.S. presidents will be auctioned on Saturday.
More than 30 lots from the estate of the late Washington Senator Mickey Vernon are among a massive sports memorabilia auction in King of Prussia, Pa. The 264-page catalogue by HuntAuction.com has plenty of Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Michael Jordan items, but the baseball signed by John F. Kennedy and tossed to Vernon at the 1963 season opener is the show stopper.
Kennedy threw out the first pitch three straight years, and the Senators manager cherished each moment. The balls were displayed at his home until Vernon’s 2008 death.
Kennedy wrote, “To Mickey, Best Wishes, John F. Kennedy,” in blue ink. A photo of Kennedy and Vernon shows an obvious familiarity between the tandem.
“He had a chance to shake Kennedy’s hand in all three,” said Vernon’s daughter, Gay Vernon. “When asked his favorite memories, it was opening days in Washington and the president always coming. My father respected and admired him so much.”
Vernon was the Senators’ greatest first baseman and among their top-10 all-time players. The seven-time All-Star played 13 seasons with Washington and another seven years with four other teams. He won two batting titles with Washington while setting an American League record for most games (2,227) and a major league mark for most double plays at first base (2,044). Vernon managed the Senators from 1961 to 1963. When baseball returned to Washington in 2005, Vernon was on the field for the first pitch.
Gay Vernon said the family kept many items, but her father approved selling some of the collection. A bat signed by Joe DiMaggio is expected to draw at least $20,000. The collection also includes artwork and photos of Vernon, plus a 1956 silver bowl for playing in the All-Star Game in Washington.
“We are keeping things extremely personal, but we just can’t keep everything,” Gay Vernon said. “My father thought some of his fans would enjoy having the memorabilia as well.”
The JFK baseball is expected to draw between $15,000 and $25,000.
“The dollar value is traced more to the president, but Mickey’s value goes to collectors preferring a direct source so they know where [the item] comes from,” Hunt Auctions president David Hunt said. “It’s pretty uncommon. We’ve had a couple over the years.”
Indeed, Vernon was one of a kind.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or
e-mail [email protected].
