2025 New Year's Auction of Autographs, Trading Cards & Memorabilia - Closes Saturday, Jan 11th

Lot #69:

Roberto Clemente Superb & RARE Single-Signed Eastern Airlines Baseball - One of the Finest We've Handled! (PSA/DNA LOA)

Circa 1970 Roberto Clemente Single Signed "Eastern Airlines" Baseball. Today the Eastern Airlines logo stamped to the northern panel of this autographed sphere reads as tragic irony, as the man whose spectacular blue ink signature resides on the sweet spot would join the sad brotherhood of Knute Rockne and Rocky Marciano soon after the ball was autographed as American sporting icons lost in airplane crashes. It was near the end of the Pittsburgh Pirates legend's all-too-brief life that he served as a spokesman for the airlines, promoting flights between Miami and his native Puerto Rico at a time when the company was reeling from much-publicized hijacked flights to Cuba.

Much the same as Babe Ruth and any number of other baseball legends, Clemente's late-in-life autographed spheres tend to rate highest on the condition scale, and this representation matches up with the very best of them. The Hall of Fame outfielder's blue ink rates 8/10 on the sweet spot, with scattered general soiling and minimal toning the only condition issues worthy of note. A real stunner! Full LOA from PSA/DNA.