The late Gene “Stick” Michael had a modest playing career that spanned from 1966 to 1975 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. Michael’s last days of a player were with the Boston Red Sox in 1976, but was never used and released in May of that season. Upon retiring as a player, Michael joined the New York Yankees coaching staff, where he especially excelled as a scout. Reggie Jackson gave credit to Michael’s scouting reports that enabled him to belt three home runs against the Dodgers in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series. Michael would serve as manager of the Yankees from 1981-82 and as general manager from 1980-81 and 1991-1995 where he was responsible for the drafting of and signings of players like Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada that formed the famed “Core Four” group that led the Yankees to four World Series titles in five seasons.

Offered here are two trophy bats and two team-signed baseballs that were presented to Gene Michael. The two bats are Adirondack Big Stick Gene Michael stamped bats that have gold plates attached honoring the 1976 and 1977 teams. The first bat’s plate has written in black “NEW YORK YANKEES 1976 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS”. The second bat has “NEW YORK YANKEES WORLD CHAMPIONS 1977 DEFEATED L.A. DODGERS FOUR GAMES TO TWO”. Also included are two Official American League Lee MacPhail stamped baseballs with signatures from both the 1976 and 1978 teams. Thurman Munson’s signatures appear on both baseballs, one signed in black pen and one signed in blue. Other signatures include Hall of Famers Yogi Berra, Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Bob Lemon and Goose Gossage, along with Gene Michael, Bucky Dent, Elston Howard, Ron Guidry, Graig Nettles, Roy White, Dick Howser, Elrod Hendricks. These items come directly from the personal collection of the late Gene Michael and a LOA from the Michael family will accompany these items, plus individual LOAs from JSA (BB84670 – 1976 & BB84671 – 1978) for each ball. Please note that the 1976 baseball has clubhouse signatures of Fred Stanley, Grant Jackson, Chris Chambliss, Jim Mason, Dick Tidrow, Sparky Lyle, E Maddox, Elston Howard, Doyle Alexander, Mickey Rivers, Yogi Berra, Ken Holtzman, Carlos May, Ron Guidry and Lou Piniella. Also, the 1978 ball has a clubhouse signature of Billy Martin.

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