Yogi Berra’s autographed rookie jersey from 1947, worn during his time with the New York Yankees, is currently being auctioned and has the potential to sell for as much as $1 million.
This unique pinstriped piece of baseball memorabilia, saved from the Boys & Girls Club of East Harlem, will be up for bids until November 16. The auction is part of the Gray Flannel Auction Holiday Auction.
Michael Lasek, the director of Gray Flannel Auctions, shared with the Post, “The interest in this item is exceptional. With the enthusiasm among collectors, I wouldn’t be shocked if it set records and reached around $1 million.”
For context, the highest price ever paid for a sports jersey is $24.12 million for a jersey worn by Babe Ruth during the 1932 World Series.
Ron Marino’s cousin, Sonny, who grew up in the Bronx and frequented the Boys & Girls Club, originally got his hands on this remarkable jersey. In 1959, he gifted it to Ron.
Ron, recalling the moment he received the jersey at just 10 years old, said, “The Yankees were clearing out storage at Yankee Stadium. At that time, the jerseys weren’t worth much, and he mentioned having a big cardboard box of them. He picked out one and said, ‘I’m giving this to you.'”
Interestingly, the jersey has Berra’s last name stitched in navy cursive beneath the Spalding label, but the number wasn’t 8; it was 35. This left Ron wondering, “This can’t be Yogi, right?” he joked to his cousin, asking if he’d come across DiMaggio, Mantle, or Ruth.
Ron kept the jersey in a closet throughout his childhood until he brought it back to Brooklyn after his father’s passing in 2000.
Years later, Ron’s son Matt began researching the significance of number 35. He discovered that Berra actually wore that number during his rookie season.
Bill Dickey, a Hall of Famer who wore number 8, served as the Yankees’ catcher until 1946. After his retirement, that number was passed on to Frank Coleman, who played until August 1947, before it officially became Berra’s.
“Yogi only wore this jersey for one season, which makes it even more unique,” Ron noted.
“And it’s the earliest known jersey from his career,” Matt added.
The 1947 season was pivotal for the Yankees as it marked their first World Series win in 23 years, paralleling the beginning of Berra’s illustrious career, one that boasts 18 All-Star selections and 10 World Series championships—the most of any player in MLB history.
Back in 2009, Ron and Matt took the jersey to a Steiner Sports autograph session in Long Island, where Berra was also present. “That was the first time Yogi had laid eyes on it in decades,” Matt recalled.
He shared how Berra was taken aback, exclaiming, “Oh my god, where did you pull this from? I haven’t seen anything like this in 60 years!”
Ron added, “His eyes were filled with tears. He was quite emotional.”
Subsequently, Matt reached out to Berra’s granddaughter, Lindsay. This connection led to the jersey being displayed at the Yogi Berra Museum in Little Falls, New Jersey, to celebrate the Hall of Famer’s upcoming 100th birthday.
