Michael Jordan & Summer Premium Auction Closing July 18 10PM Eastern
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/19/2020
The late Gene “Stick” Michael had a modest playing career that spanned from 1966 to 1975 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. Michael’s last days of a player were with the Boston Red Sox in 1976, but was never used and released in May of that season. Upon retiring as a player, Michael joined the New York Yankees coaching staff, where he especially excelled as a scout. Reggie Jackson gave credit to Michael’s scouting reports that enabled him to belt three home runs against the Dodgers in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series. Michael would serve as manager of the Yankees from 1981-82 and as general manager from 1980-81 and 1991-1995 where he was responsible for the drafting of and signings of players like Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada that formed the famed “Core Four” group that led the Yankees to four World Series titles in five seasons.
Offered here is an incredible 27 x 43-inch custom engraved wooden artwork of the famed “Babe Bow’s Out” that was on display at the original Yankee Stadium from the late 1940's until it closed for renovations in 1973. Taken on June 13th, 1948, this famous photograph taken by Pulitzer Prize photographer Nat Fein, was published in the New York Herald Tribune and itself is 20 x 30 inches. Titled “The Babe Bows Out” shows Ruth, looking frail and thin after a long illness, looking out to the adoring crowd from home plate for one last time. Sadly, two short months after this photograph was taken, Ruth passed away on August 16th, 1948. Ruth is in full uniform for one last time on June 13th 1948 as the Yankees were celebrating the 25th anniversary of Yankee Stadium and their first World Series title, and it was also the day when Ruth’s famed number 3 was retired. On the bottom left corner is a gold plate that reads “Hung in Yankee Stadium front office. 1946 – 1973" although the image wasnt taken until shortly thereafter, so most likely the plate contains an error in the dates that it was hung. The piece was removed from the stadium in 1973 and comes directly from the personal collection of the late Gene Michael.