Perhaps the unlikeliest member of the 1996 Atlanta Braves, pitcher Tom Thobe had all but given up baseball in 1988 after an unsuccessful stint in the Cubs farm system. Five years later, he got back up on the mound for a Braves tryout and impressed scouts enough to earn a contract. By 1995, Thobe was a dominant force with the AAA Richmond Braves (7-0 record and 1.84 ERA!) and then became a September call-up to the big leagues, where he played in seven games during 1995 and 1996.

     Manufactured by Jostens, Thobe's 10K-gold, size 11 ring features a raised Braves "tomahawk" logo set on a bed of small diamonds with ruby stones at the corners. The shanks celebrate five straight NLCS and the 30th anniversary of Fulton-County Stadium. NM condition Accompanied by a 7 x 6-1/4 x 4 inch deluxe wooden presentation box (NM, Jostens) with a beautiful plaque reading, "Braves / 1996 National League Champions / Tom Thobe." Thobe's signed LOA reads, in part, "This letter will serve as my guarantee that the 1996 Atlanta Braves National League Championship Ring and wood presentation box that you purchased is my original and only one that was awarded to me."

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