This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/29/2020
With Vince Lombardi as offensive coordinator, Tom Landry as defensive coordinator, and a packed Hall of Fame roster of Frank Gifford (MVP), Sam Huff, Rosey Brown and Andy Robustelli, it all came together for the New York Giants in 1956. Head coach Jim Lee Howell half-joked that “his main function was to make sure the footballs had air in them” (Lombardi biographer, David Maraniss). The G-Men went 8-3-1 in the regular season to earn a berth in the NFL Championship where they destroyed George Halas’ Chicago Bears at Yankee Stadium by the score of 47-7.
The Giants drafted Jim Katcavage in 1956 and the defensive lineman out of the University of Dayton started three games in his rookie season, contributing mightily to the team's championship run. He became a mainstay on the defensive front for the Giants, playing 13 seasons in New York (1956-68) and starting 154 of 165 games. Earning three straight Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods (1961-63), Katcavage was unofficially credited with 96.5 career sacks (not a statistic until 1982) which would place him third in franchise history behind Hall of Famers Michael Strahan and Lawrence Taylor. Not bad company!
Presented here is Katcavage's 1956 New York Giants World Championship ring. Made of 10-karat gold by Dieges & Clust, the lovely ring features a 20-point real diamond atop a midnight blue stone on the face. The perimeter reads “N.Y. Giants - World Champions - N.Y. 47 – CHI. 7” in raised relief. One shank has “19” and the Giants team logo in the background of the New York City skyline. The other has “56” and the old “NFL” logo. The maker’s stamp along with a “10 Karat” hallmark are engraved inside the band. The size 10.5 ring (26 g) is well-worn and presents in EX-MT shape. It appears to have been re-sized based on the oval-shaped band. Any player name or initials engraving inside the band was likely lost during the resizing process. Includes LOA from previous auction house seller stating that it was sourced directly from a Katcavage family member.