Ted Williams memorabilia will be auctioned

Posted Sep 13, 2011 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated Sep 13, 2011 at 09:10 PM

Talk about an amazing auction. What would Ted Williams think?

Several coveted pieces of baseball memorabilia that belonged to the Splendid Splinter will be put up for auction next spring, according to Hunt Auctions. Some of the items are going to pull in some serious money: Williams’ 1949 American League MVP plaque, his 1946 AL championship ring — the only pennant the Red Sox won during his career in Boston — one of the bats he used in an All-Star game, and a baseball signed by Babe Ruth that was personalized to Williams. Also, a Silver Slugger bat, which signified one of Williams’ six AL batting titles, will be sold.

Hunt Auctions will host the sale in the Boston area. No date has been set, and part of the proceeds will be donated to The Jimmy Fund. Now, Ted would have liked that; the Jimmy Fund is the official charity of the Red Sox, and during his lifetime, Williams was an ardent supporter, making unannounced visits to children in hospitals.

Williams died in 2002. His daughter, Claudia, decided that next year — coincidentally, the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park — would be an appropriate time to put her dad’s memorabilia on the auction block.

“The time has come in my life to let go of some of my father’s awards and personal memorabilia,” she said in a statement that was released by the auction house. “I have struggled with this decision for the past 10 years, but the reality is, these items have remained locked away in a storage unit.
“So many people have asked to view these items or obtain them for their own personal collection,” she said. “Everyone will have a better opportunity to enjoy the pieces that chronicle the life of my dad from his baseball career to his fishing exploits to his military service.”

The items that will be auctioned off will be on public display Sept. 30 in San Diego, Williams’ hometown.

I’ll be interested to see what fetches the highest price.