Does opening day send you for a nostalgic stroll? Perhaps
through the memories made by Fenway visits, where tales were told
of the legends who played there before?
For us, Ted Williams comes to mind. For the standards he set for
the game and service he gave to his country and fans, his memory is
yet to fade with each new baseball season.
Check out this hat he once wore in the late 1950s, now acquired
by The Sotheby’s Auction House.
Below, is the story behind this iconic piece
of memorabilia which came from right here in Boston, now on display
for the world.
Ted Williams 1957 Boston Red Sox Autographed Game Cap,
from the Sotheby’s Blog:
No one loved hitting more than Williams, who called hitting
a pitched baseball “the hardest single feat in sports,” and no
other ballplayer spent more time at his craft. Williams lost nearly
five years of his career to military service in World War II and
Korea but managed to hit 521 homers and average .344 for his
career, only once hitting below .316. The numbers certainly support
the acclaim Teddy Ballgame aspired to, being called the very best
hitter that ever lived. The two time Triple Crown winner made use
of this hat during the 1957 season, which ranks as his best in the
later years of his career. The blue wool hat shows picture perfect
use. It is constructed of blue wool and has the Red Sox traditional
“B” on the front in red on white embroidered stitch. On the inside
leather sweatband, which remains fully intact, is the “Tim
McAuliffe” tag and size “7 3/8.” A large blue sharpie “Ted
Williams” autograph rating a near 10 appears below this.
On the underside of the sweatband is written “Ted Williams”
with the date “8-21-57.” The cap originates from one of the premier
hat collections in the hobby and is accompanied by documentation
that traces the chain of ownership back to its Major League roots.
A letter from Phil Wood is among the key articles of provenance.
A well known hobby figure, Wood notes that the hat was
purchased from the estate of Al Shapanus, who was the equipment
manager for the Cleveland Indians in 1957. The inscription on the
inside of the sweatband, “Cap from Ted Williams 8-21-57” is in
Shapanus’ handwriting and memorializes the date that he obtained
this hat from Ted. The Boston Red Sox played the Cleveland Indians
in Cleveland on August 21, 1957. Additional LOAs from PSA/DNA
(auto.), John Taube, Grey Flannel, and Michael Heffner.