Auction Item Details
Lot 603
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Lot Number: 603
Description: Significant Ted Williams 1949 American League Most Valuable Player Award plaque. Ted Williams' annual offensive statistics would often appear fictional when reported by the scribes of the day. A "down" year for Ted would often equate to a batting average in the .320 range which for others might be considered a watershed season. The 1949 season saw Ted Williams sign a $100,000 contract and he would certainly deliver on that salary with a superlative campaign. Williams' statistics in 1949 were among the finest of his career posting totals as follows: .344 batting average, 43 home runs, 159 RBIs, 39 doubles, 150 runs, and 162 walks. His batting average fell just .0002 points short of George Kell and cost Ted his third Triple Crown title. No matter, Williams' offensive numbers for the 1949 season obliterated his competition in the American League MVP award balloting. His vote total of 272 compared with Phil Rizzuto's second place number of 175 was indicative of Williams' dominant season. The offered plaque was presented to Williams by Commissioner A.B. "Happy" Chandler at ceremonies held at Fenway Park on April 1, 1950. The black painted wooden plaque measures 16" in diameter and retains its original surface. Applied to the front is an octagonal sterling silver placard with a 10K gold Kennesaw M.Landis bust vignette, Ted Williams nameplate, and 1949 year plate. Front is stamped "Dieges & Clust Sterling" at lower right. Back of the plaque retains its original Dieges & Clust metal tag along with a small metal plate (added later) for wall suspension. The wooden portion of the plaque remains uncommonly clean with only some typical minimal surface crazing to the painted surface. Interior plaque portion remains very clean with brilliant eye appeal. The Most Valuable Player award is the most coveted individual performance award in Major League Baseball. This particular example relating to the player who is widely regarded as the greatest hitter in Major League history is most certainly one of the most important of its type to have ever been offered at public auction: EX/MT-NMEstimated Price Range: ($150,000-$250,000)
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