Holiday Auction Closing December 3
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/4/2016
As SABR biographer Tom Simon has pointed out, Dave Keefe holds the distinction of being "the first man ever hired by a Major League team for the exclusive purpose of pitching batting practice." Keefe was 35 and long past his big-league prime when Connie Mack tapped him to lob strikes to Jimmy Foxx and company—a position that Keefe held onto for 19 years! He once recalled, "The thing I remember most about pitching batting practice was the number of times I was hit by a ball. They didn't have screens in front of us in those days and I was struck everywhere except on the bottom of my feet." Incredibly, Keefe also pitched batting practice for a whopping nine All-Star Games—including the 1936 Mid-Summer Classic at Braves Field. His 10K-gold, Dieges & Clust cuff link rates NM and is engraved with his name on the reverse. It has been beautifully mounted on a modern Jenkins 10K-gold, size 11 ring, also NM, which is accented by additional game info and four small diamonds. Accompanied by a 2001 purchase LOA and D&C cuff-link box.