MLB royalty Roberto Clemente's iconic 1960 World Series jersey hits auction block with $25,000 starting bid
Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente won two World Series, one of which came in 1960 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. According to TribLive, one of his jerseys went up for auction by online outlet Lelands.
The starting bid for his jersey was $25,000 and according to the latest bidding information, it reached $31,906 on Monday. The auction, which has over 1,500 lots of sports memorabilia, will end on March 16.
The Pirates away jersey in gray was worn by Roberto Clemente in the 1960 season, in which he earned his first All-Star selection. He batted .314 with 94 RBIs and helped the Pirates lift their first World Series title in 35 years.
The Pirates defeated the New York Yankees in an intense seven-game showdown. The game saw the famous walk-off run by Bill Mazeroski, culminating in a World Series title. As far as Clemente goes, he hit .310 with 9 hits, 3 RBIs and one run scored.
This was not the only series, as he again won it in the 1971 season, in which he was also crowned the MVP.
His Hall of Fame career ended with 15 All-Star selections, two NL MVPs and 12 Gold Glove Award winners.
More about the authentication of Roberto Clemente 1960 World Series Jersey
It was a sleeveless jersey, which he wore during the 1960 World Series. The jersey received a grade of excellence, which is the second highest grade attainable from sports memorabilia authenticator SGC.
Moreover, the jersey includes a hardcover authenticating book with a "60" felt year tag inside. As per Lelands, the "PIRATES" and "21" are original. However, some part of the jersey is separated but has now been professionally stabilized, per Leylands.
Some frontal buttons and piping around the shoulders and neck were replaced with period piping or buttons from another original Pirates jersey in worn out places. According to Lelands, other than the piping and buttons, the jersey is original.
Following his death in 1972, Roberto Clemente was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973 through a special election. During his playing time, Clemente served the community in the best possible way, resulting in the league deciding to name a major league award for community after his name.