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Lot Number: 967
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Lot 967
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| Description: Ken Keltner professional model baseball glove used in the July 17, 1941 56 game hit streak ending game. On July 16, 1941, Joe DiMaggio coasted to his 56th consecutive game with a base hit. He went three for four, scoring three runs in helping his team to a victory over the second place Indians. The third baseman for the Indians was Ken Keltner, who was widely regarded as one of the best defensive third basemen in the league. The Indians would be ready for the Yankees on the 17th looking to keep their slim postseason hopes alive and the Indians third baseman would look to the June 1, 1941 game as a reminder of how to overcome Joe DiMaggio. It was in this game that Joe DiMaggio extended his streak to 17 straight games with a hard ground ball which tipped off of Keltner's glove at third base and went into left field. After the inning was over, Keltner passed DiMaggio and heard Joe say something to him but could not make it out over the noise of the crowd. These events would play a pivotal role in ending DiMaggio's hallowed streak just over one month later in Cleveland. During their next series with the Yankees in July, Ken Keltner recalled the June 1st game and the DiMaggio play. When interviewed after the game that ended DiMaggioÆs streak, Keltner discussed the June 1st game in relation to two plays he had just made, remarking "DiMaggio said something when the inning was over as he was leaving the bases near the foul line. I couldn't hear what it was, but I remembered the ball he hit on the play. So I played him deep tonight, maybe a little closer to the line than usual." These subtle changes led to two outstanding plays on hard hit balls from Joe DiMaggio on July 17th. In each case, Keltner made diving plays and fired to get DiMaggio out by a fraction on two occasions. DiMaggio was asked how deep Keltner was playing him and remarked, "Deep? My God, he was standing in left field." With a slight position adjustment and two exciting fielding plays, Joe DiMaggio, and the nation, had lost its streak.
The offered glove was used by Keltner in the historic game on July 17, 1941. According to DiMaggio family history and a first person account, the glove was sent to DiMaggio by the Keltner family after Ken's death in 1991. The glove is a Rawlings Ken Keltner professional model glove with facsimile stamped signature on the interior heel. Rawlings tag (1938-1945 dating period) remains affixed to the original backstrap. Glove exhibits strong usage with surface wear and a period repair to an interior thumb seam. Keltner facsimile signature stampings remain very clean and legible. Incredible baseball relic relating to one of the great moments in baseball history when the streak was halted in Cleveland on July 17, 1941. The lot includes a vintage photo from the DiMaggio collection taken after the game picturing DiMaggio holding up "0" signaling no hits. Includes LOA from MEARS Authentication regarding dating and professional quality and a notarized letter of provenance from a DiMaggio associate who had a personal discussion with Joe DiMaggio regarding the glove: VG-EX |
| Estimated Price: ($20,000.00-$30,000.00) |
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