On November 14, 1961 — John Fetzer, a passionate fan of the game, becomes the lone owner of the Tigers when he buys out the estate of Fred Knorr. After the 1983 season, the media mogul will sell the team to pizza entrepreneur Tom Monaghan.
The American Tobacco Company’s near-mint condition 1909 Honus Wagner card goes for $1.1 million in an eBay online auction. The high bidder will pay $1.265 million including a 15 percent buyer’s premium for the 91-year-old card of the Hall of Fame Pirate shortstop. Other high-priced items in the auction include a baseball autographed by the entire 1919 Chicago “Black Sox” team, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, as well as the umpires who worked the final game of the 1919 World Series, which sells for $93,666, including a 15 percent buyer’s premium. The ball’s value, believed to be the most for such an item, is unusually high because the autographs include that of Jackson, who was considered illiterate and usually only signed legal documents. A ball signed by the 1919 Reds goes for $11,208, while a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth sells for $76,020. A contract from Jackson’s sale of his Chicagopool hall to teammate Lefty Williams, sells for $36,098; the contract, dated October 6, 1921, is for just $1.
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July 15, 2000
