This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/5/2022
Few, if any, sports stories are more dramatic or more complete than the story of Johnny Unitas. A ninth-round draft choice of the 1955 Pittsburgh Steelers, Unitas was cut before he even threw one pass in a game. Still determined, he played semi-pro football for $6 a game. After the season, the Baltimore Colts coach Weeb Ewbank learned of the "outstanding prospect" on the Pittsburgh sandlots. Ewbank signed Johnny for $17,000 on a make the team basis. Programmed strictly as a backup, Unitas got his chance in 1957 in the fourth game when the Colts’ starter was injured. Unitas’ first pass was intercepted for a touchdown but from that moment on, he never looked back. For the next 18 seasons, "Johnny U'' ran up a ledger of game winning exploits seldom matched in NFL history.
This NM-MT PSA 8 #138 Johnny Unitas rookie card from the popular 1957 Topps Football issue has dark, rich color and a sharp picture images. All four corners appear in NM-MT condition. Centering is also the least of this card's issues. Only 8 examples of this historic rookie card exist in a higher unqualified grade from PSA as of the writing of this lot.