April 5th Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/6/2013
Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman had just finished the 4th year of a promising career in the NFL. His fine 2001 season culminated in the Cardinals offering him a 3.6 million dollar contract, but Tillman had something else he needed to do. On May 31, 2002 Pat and his younger brother Kevin (who had just turned down a Cleveland Indians contract) walked into the U.S. Army’s Chandler, Arizona recruiting station and took his Oath of Enlistment into the U.S. Army. To the Tillman brothers, avenging the September 11th terrorist attacks was more important than professional sports - this was something they had to do. There was no fan-fare or reporters. No one took pictures. The only thing to commemorate the most important decision Pat Tillman ever made is this Wilson NFL regulation football. After taking his Oath of Enlistment Pat Tillman graciously signed it for the recruter at the station, currently a Sergeant Major in the Army and our consignor. Showing pride in his new career choice, Tillman took a black marker, signed his name and added:”Army leads the way...”. (NOTE: Please read the entire story of this football and that final day at the Army office for Pat Tillman online in the consignor affidavit(who was the recruiter running that station, and whose name will be redacted online, BUT will appear in the winners affidavit) at goldinauctions.com) While there are millions of signed footballs in this world, no other has the poignancy and emotional impact that this one has. As we all know, Specialist Tillman, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment was killed in action on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on April 22, 2004. While Americans have looked up to sports heroes since the beginning of professional sports, no other player from any sport in recent memory merits the kind of idolization and veneration that Pat Tillman does. This signed Wilson football is a testament to how one man put voluntary sacrifice for his country before millions of dollars and NFL glory. There will never be a more emotionally moving signed football than this. Multiple images and LOAs available at goldinauctions.com.