It takes a special player to win an MVP Award – but it takes an extraordinary one to win an MVP for a last-place team. While many players would be discouraged or ambivalent on a losing club, a very select few are able to rise above his team’s fortunes and play at an MVP level. It was in this exact situation that Andre Dawson found himself in 1986. He had been the runner-up for the MVP Award in the previous two seasons while with Montreal, and 1987 found him in Chicago with the Cubs. Spurred on by the acquisition of Dawson, Chicago played first-place ball for the first two months of the season, but gradually began losing ground. Dawson did more than his part in attempting to keep the Cubs a contender, slugging a league-leading 49 home runs and 137 RBIs and batting .287. His play in right field was outstanding, being charged with just 4 errors in 152 games.

Despite his offensive and defensive performance, Dawson alone couldn’t stop the Cubs decline and the end of the season found Chicago in last place. Nonetheless, it was clearly apparent that Dawson’s 1987 numbers more than earned him the National League’s MVP Award, the first and only time it has been bestowed on a player from a last-place team. This glove was used by Dawson in 1987 while earning his unique MVP Award. The Rawlings Pro HF model fielder’s glove is crafted from the “Heart of the Hide” grade leather and features the “FastBack” wrist enclosure. The glove shows good game use with ample wear to the palm and scuffing to the fingertips. The Rawlings labels sewn to the outside of the wrist and the base of the thumb remain intact and there are the expected perspiration stains found inside the glove. The webbing and rawhide laces appear to be original and are intact. To complete this Dawson gamer, the Hall of Famer has signed the back of the forefinger in bold black marker. A museum-worthy glove worn by one of the most popular men to roam the Cubs outfield. The glove comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA for the game use and a LOA from Steve Grad of Beckett Authentication (A69931) for the signature.

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