Summer Premium Live and Catalog Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/6/2017
When former closer Lee Smith retired from baseball in 1997, he was the all-time saves leader with 478. Only Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera finished with more career saves than the big righty from Louisiana. Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2nd round of the 1975 MLB Amateur Draft, Smith made his debut with the “Northsiders” on September 1, 1980. His 18-year career saw him pitch for the Cubs, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, California Angels, Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos.
Smith picked up career save number 446 while pitching for the California Angels against one of his former teams the Baltimore Orioles on May 29, 1995 at Anaheim Stadium. Smith’s scoreless ninth inning preserved the Angels 6-5 victory as he earned his 12th save of the 1995 season and kept his ERA at 0.00. This Official American League Gene A. Budig baseball shows outstanding use and is toned. Inscriptions on this ball in light blue ink include “Save #445”, “5-29-95”, “Baltimore 040 000 010 –5” and “California 004 001 10X– 6”.This game used and signed baseball comes with a LOA from Lee Smith.