Lee Smith, the first modern closer in baseball history, wore this white home pullover jersey during his tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals. Smith joined the team in May of 1990 after being traded from the Red Sox for Tom Brunansky. He pitched two full seasons for the Cardinals before another midseason trade, this time in 1993, sent him to the Yankees. During his time in St. Louis, Lee Arthur was one of the game’s premier closers, making three All-Star teams and leading the National League in saves twice. In total, Smith saved 160 games for the Cardinals.

     The jersey, a white pullover, has “Cardinals” sewn across the front in red and navy blue chenille-style stitching. Additionally, the Cardinals “birds-on-a-bat” logo is sewn on the front in yellow, red, and navy chenille stitching. Smith’s number “47” is sewn on the front and back in red and navy blue tackle twill. “L. SMITH” is sewn across the back shoulders in red and navy blue tackle twill over a white nameplate. An “AAB jr” patch, which memorializes beloved Cardinals owner Augustus “Gussie” Busch Jr., is sewn on the left sleeve. The sleeve and collar openings are ringed with a red, white, and blue band. A Rawlings size “46” tag is sewn on the front left inside tail of the jersey. A “Set 1 1990” flag is attached, and an additional “2 inch extra length” tag is sewn in the same area. This jersey shows light to moderate game use. Smith signed the “4” on the back of the jersey in black marker, adding the inscription “Game Used” to his signature.

     Additionally, a red Cardinals cap is included in this lot. Smith’s number “47” is written twice on the underside of the brim, once in black pen and once in black marker. Smith signed the top of the brim in black marker. Finally, a Louisville Slugger C243 bat used by Smith is included in this lot. It shows strong evidence of use. All of the items in this collection come with a LOA from Smith.

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