Ted Williams Memorabilia Auction Attracts Big Collectors - East Idaho News
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Ted Williams Memorabilia Auction Attracts Big Collectors

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3200502?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1335806277277Hulton Archive/Getty Images(BOSTON) — This weekend’s auction of memorabilia from Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams was a hit with his fans. Williams, who played his entire career with the Boston Red Sox, died in 2002 at age 83.

The top selling piece at the auction inside Boston’s Fenway Park was Williams’ plaque for winning the 1949 Most Valuable Player Award. It went for close to $300,000.

Another highly sought after item was a baseball Babe Ruth signed that read, “To my pal Ted Williams, From Babe Ruth.”Despite the simplicity of the inscription, someone paid $195,000 for the souvenir, the highest amount ever paid for a ball associated with Ruth that wasn’t part of an actual game.

Williams’ appeal as one of baseball’s greatest sluggers was clearly evident by how much his fans were willing to shell out for other items that included $230,000 for his 1957 Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Award for outstanding batting achievement, $126,500 for a used Red Sox road jersey and $110,000 paid for Williams’ Hall of Fame induction ring.

By the time the auction wrapped up, close to 800 items had new owners. Part of the proceeds went to benefit The Jimmy Fund, a cancer research charity near and dear to Williams’ heart.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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