CHICAGO – Mastro Auctions, the world’s leading Sports and Americana auction house, has announced that it will deliver its second annual Live Sports Auction on Friday, August 1 at 8:30 p.m. at the ESPN Zone in Chicago. The event will feature more than 90 of the world’s most coveted pieces of current and vintage sports memorabilia including Ken Griffey, Jr.’s 600th home run ball.
Collectively, the event represents one of the most unprecedented assemblies of valuable, high-end sports memorabilia ever offered at public auction. Highlights include one of the top T206 Honus Wagner cards known to exist, which is likely to fetch the second highest price for a baseball card in public auction history. This piece, along with a 1938 Lou Gehrig jersey and autographed Babe Ruth materials including a game-used bat from the slugger and one of the finest single-signed baseballs, will make the auction one for the record books. President Doug Allen also said to watch the Ken Griffey, Jr. 600th home run ball.
“Griffey is a future hall-of-famer who has managed to remain untouched by the steroid situation,” says Allen. “It will be significant to see if his current untainted record translates to a higher selling price compared to similar balls from current players who have encountered suspicion.”
In addition, proceeds from a portion of the auction will benefit the 1st Touch Foundation, a charity founded by Chicago Cubs’ first baseman, Derrek Lee. A main focus of the Foundation is to assist those affected by Lebers Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) an extremely rare disease which causes severe vision loss and blindness. Mastro Auctions’ Live Sports event will feature several game worn and autographed items donated by Lee.
“We are thrilled to be working with Mastro Auctions and grateful for all the good our combined efforts will generate,” Lee said. “We appreciate the extra mile that Mastro Auctions is willing to go for us,” added Heather Scherber, director of outreach for the 1st Touch Foundation. “We are certain the auction will be a resounding success and feel honored to be part of such a prestigious sports auction event.”
All items in Mastro Auctions’ Live Sports Auction will be on display at the company’s booth at the National Sports Convention at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. Bidding starts at 8:30 p.m., August 1 at Chicago’s ESPN Zone located at 43 E. Ohio Street. For more information or to purchase admission to the event, call Mastro Auctions at 630-472-1200 or visit www.mastroauctions.com for additional details.
