This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/6/2021
There is nothing better than sitting down in your seat at the ballpark with a hotdog in your hand and a game program in the other. Sun shining down, the sounds of the players and fans creating an intoxicating and melodic sound that becomes the soundtrack to baseball memories. New York City has been home to numerous teams and some of the most dramatic moments in Major League Baseball’s 152-year history. Presented here are 10 programs from New York baseball teams spanning the 1950’s through the 1970s.
The first item in this presented lot is an 8 ½ x 11-inch New York Yankees scorebook and official magazine from the 1974 season. The 1974 season saw the Yankees play their home games at Shea Stadium due to renovations at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees finished second in the American League East that season with a record of 89-73. The cover of the 36-page program is labeled “NEW YORK YANKEES 1974 SCOREBOOK & OFFICIAL MAGAZINE” in white and blue at the top of the cover. The red-covered program features ad black and white catcher’s mitt with the iconic New York Yankees logo that featured a bat topped with an Uncle Sam hat inside a baseball appears in red, white, and blue on the inside of the mitt. Yankees pitcher George “Doc” Medich signed and inscribed “Hoping we can bring Yankees fans another pennant in ’74. Best wishes, George Doc Medich” with a black marker on page 30 of the program. The program features some edging, cornering, and the scores have been filled in.
The second and third items in this lot are 8 ½ x 11-inch 1951 New York Giants Yearbooks. The Giants tied for first place in the National League that season and the Giants faced the Dodgers in a three-game playoff series. Bobby Thompson’s “Shot Heard Round the World” walk-off home run during the ninth inning of Game 3 of the playoff gave the Giants the National League pennant. The Giants would go on to face the New York Yankees in the 1951 World Series, losing to the Yankees in six games. “NEW YORK YEAR BOOK” appears in a circular pattern across the black cover in yellow. “GIANTS 1951” appears in orange in the center of the circular pattern against a baseball and a leaping Giants player. “POLO GROUNDS” and “FIFTY CENTS” appear in yellow on the bottom of the yearbook. The inside of the 46-page program features player biographies, photographs, and ads and features some edging and cornering.
The fourth item in this lot is an 8 ½ x 11-inch 1957 New York Yankees Year Book. The fifty-cent program feature a drawing of a Yankees player in Yankee pinstripes set against the backdrop of Yankee Stadium. The yearbook is labeled “YANKEES WORLD CHAMPIONS” in black and red on the cover of the yearbook. “OFFICIAL 1957 YEAR BOOK” appears on the bottom of the cover in red against a black background. The 49-page yearbook features player biographies, stories about the Yankees, and ads. The back cover of the program features an aerial shot of Yankee Stadium and is labeled “HOME OF CHAMPIONS” in white across the image. A list of the World Series titles won by the Yankees is featured in black on the side of the image. The Yankees won their 23rd pennant that season and lost to the Milwaukee Braves in the World Series in seven games. The yearbook features some cornering, edging, and fading of the paper.
The fifth item is an 8 ½ x 11-inch 48-page 1955 New York Yankees Yearbook. The red cover with blue and white stars features a player constituted of the years the Yankees won the World Series and is labeled “1955 YANKEES YEARBOOK” in black and white. “FIFTY CENTS” appears at the bottom of the program in black. The inside of the program features player biographies, pictures, and box scores along with advertisements. The back of the cover features an aerial photo of Yankee stadium and is labeled “HOME OF CHAMPIONS” in white in the center of the program. The program features evidence of cornering but is still firm.
The sixth item is an 8 ½ x 11-inch 48-page 1954 New York Yankees Yearbook. The cover features a red, white, and blue color scheme with a crouched Yankees player in pinstripes holding a bat with five bats labeled “WORLD CHAMPIONS” resting against his leg. The fifty cent program features stories, pictures, and box scorecards. The 1954 Yankees finished second place in the American League that season with a record of 103-51. The cover is slightly detached from the yearbook and features some toning and cornering.
The seventh item is 8 ½ x 11-inch 48-page 1951 New York Yankees Sketch Book. The iconic New York Yankees logo featuring a bat with an Uncle Sam top hat on top of a bat inside a baseball appears on the book’s top left corner. “1951 SKETCH BOOK” appears across the purple background of the cover in yellow and white. The fifty-cent program features a “AMERICAN LEAGUE 50th ANNIVERSARY 1901-1951” label on the bottom right corner. A trophy case featuring 17 baseballs inscribed with the years the Yankees appeared in the World Series is featured prominently on the cover of the sketch book. The sketch book features photographs, articles, and scorecards. The 1951 Yankees season was notable as it was the last season played by Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio and the rookie season for Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle. The sketch book features some cornering and cracks on the cover.
The eighth item is an 8 ½ x 11-inch 48-page 1950 New York Yankees Sketch Book. The sketch book features 10 Yankees logos on the left side of the sketch book with “YANKEES” in red displayed in cursive across the front of the sketch book. A series of pennants in various colors with the years denoting when the pennants were won adorn the cover that features the iconic Yankees bat with a Uncle Sam top hat. An ad for Chesterfield Cigarettes featuring actress Ruth Roman holding a pack of Chesterfields is labeled “See Ruth Roman Co-Starring in ‘Barricade’ A Warner Bros. Production Color By Technicolor” across the ad. The 1950 New York Yankees won their 17th pennant en route to routing the Philadelphia Phillies in four games in the 1950 World Series. The sketch book is firm and features some elements of cornering but the color on the cover is vibrant.
The ninth item is an 8 ½ x 11-inch official program from the 1961 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds. First-year manager Ralph Houk took over the reigns of the Yankees from famed manager Casey Stengal during a season that saw Yankee greats Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris compete for the honor of breaking Babe Ruth’s 60 home runs in a single season, with Maris winning the race with 61. The Yankees went on to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in five games for the 19th World Series title in franchise history. The presented program features a illustrated image of Yankees manager Ralph Houk against a backdrop of Yankee Stadium that is labeled “Home of Champions” in black. “NEW YORK YANKEES CINCINNATI REDS” is labeled on the bottom of the program in black and red, with “OFFICIAL PROGRAM FIFTY CENTS” appearing black at the bottom. The 52-page program features articles, player biographies, and photographs on the inside. The program features cornering and a stain that runs from the front cover to the back.
The 10th item is an official program from the 1952 World Series that saw the New York Yankees win their fourth consecutive World Series title against the Brooklyn Dodgers in seven games. The presented 8 ½ x 11-inch program features illustrations of baseball players on a white background with “YANKEES” in red cursive and “DODGERS” in blue cursive with a paraph on the top and bottom of the program. A baseball rests on the center of the program and is labeled “1952” in blue with “WORLD SERIES” in gold. The 48-page program features articles, ads, player biographies, and a color ad for Lucky Strike cigarettes on the back cover. The back cover is labeled “Dorothy Collins, ‘The Sweetheart of Lucky Strike’ says: BE HAPPY! GO LUCKY!” in red. The program features edging, cornering, and fading of the front cover.