2017 holiday
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2017
Owner of one of the most intriguing journey's in baseball history, Satchel Paige went from detention facility, to five-time Negro League All-Star before eventually becoming the first African American to pitch in a World Series game for the Cleveland Indians in 1948. Paige was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971, validating his storied career. Paige's path to stardom was so interesting it prompted a series of curiosity from writers and film makers alike. One such case is documented in this five-page contract permitting motion picture producers Burt Ward and Hugh Crouse II access to the David Lipman biography on Paige titled "Maybe I'll Pitch Forever" for a period of 30 days at the cost of $20,000. Terms of the contract allot Paige and his wife Lahoma 40 percent, or $8,000, of the total award. Paige signed the third sheet of this five-page notarized contract, which appears on tan linen paper, in strong, blue ink above the accompanying signatures of his wife and Lipman (black ink). The fourth page of the document reveals the notary stamp, dated March 9, 1970 in St. Louis, Missouri. The contract is in remarkably strong condition, with only four small staple holes in the top left corner of each page. LOA from James Spence Authentication (Y47496).