March 19, 2020: Spring Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/19/2020
Offered is a spectacular full uniform, including jersey, pants and stirrup socks, from one of the great postwar relief pitchers, Ted Abernathy, who labored in the specialty in the years when the Save rule was vastly different than its modern interpretation. Even so, the submarining right-hander was one of the top relievers in the game for much of his 14 seasons that stretched from 1955 to 1972. The road flannel is in superb condition, showing game wear with all appropriate elements intact and is problem free. The grey flannel has “Washington” across the front in blue and red tackle twill, with his No. 15 in the same fashion on the back. The famed red, white and blue Spalding label appears on the front left tail, with Size 44 flag tag and “Abernathy Set 1 57” embroidered in black beneath; “Abernathy 57” is also embroidered in blue on a grey team tag across the collar. The shirt has a working zipper down the front and the appropriate four vents on each armpit. The pants, which show game wear even more prominently than the shirt and has the requisite Spalding label across the back of the waist, with Size 38 embroidered in red alongside in a flag tag and “Abernathy 15” in black embroidery below. There is also a wash instructions tag at the left of the Spalding label and a “15” handwritten in black marker along the waistband. Four grey buttons are intact along the front. In addition, there is a handsome pair of blue stirrup socks with red and white striping, again showing excellent game use. In all, an important artifact from an early practitioner of the reliever corps, a man who appeared in 681 games on behalf of seven different teams over 14 seasons, leading the National League in games three times, Saves twice and was voted the TSN Reliever of the Year in 1968. He ended his career with 149 Saves, again noting that the definition and effort involved was vastly different at the time.
Ted Abernathy 1957 Washington Senators Game-Worn Uniform, With Stirrups (3)
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