Spring Premier Auction 2014

Marvelous and Lovable sounds like a great combination, and it certainly worked wonders for "Marvelous" Marv Throneberry, who was a decent hitting first baseman for three American League clubs from 1955-62 - Yankees, Athletics and Orioles - before a life-changing trade to the New York Mets that would ultimately adjust his place in MLB archives from journeyman to folk hero. While on that 1962 Mets team, losers of 120 games that curious first season and yet remaining eminently "lovable," legions of humorous stories surfaced about Throneberry. While it is likely that many of these stories are indeed false they helped escalate Throneberry to almost legendary status among Mets fans and well beyond, thanks in part to a series of wildly successful Miller Lite beer commercials in the 1970's that lovingly brought back a host of great stars and "others" from a number of sports. In a seven-season career, Throneberry was a .237 hitter with 53 home runs and 170 RBI in 480 games. This garment boasts the famed “Athletics” angled script across the chest in red-on-black felt, the same configuration as Throneberry's No. 3 on the back. The black piping on the collar, button path and sleeves is essentially impeccable; the distinctive embroidered Elephant patch appears on the left sleeve, also in super condition. The expected Rawlings manufacturer’s label appears on the front-left tail and is accompanied by a Size “44” adjacent tag and "60" embroidered in red underneath. A grey felt strip tag with a red-stitched notation of “Throneberry” appears on the collar. There are six holes (as tailored) under each arm to facilitate ventilation. The all-original garment shows good game use but is essentially problem free.