This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/6/2015
ADDENDUM: The FIBA medal is from 1976, not 1936 as previously stated.
Carl Shy was a pivotal member of the 1936 U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team at the Berlin Summer Olympics. It was the first U.S. Men’s Olympic basketball team ever assembled. A 27-year-old six-footer who had played for the UCLA Bruins during his collegiate career, Shy earned a place on the 14-man roster following the final tryouts for the team which were held at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 4 and 5 by the American Olympic Committee. Playing its games in Berlin outdoors, the U.S. team went on to win the gold medal by defeating five different countries including Spain, Estonia, Philippines and Mexico. In the championship game, the U.S. men defeated Canada 19-8 in a contest that was literally played in a torrential downpour.
This lot includes a powerful assortment of Olympic pins that Shy acquired dating to 1936. The most significant item is Shy’s 1976 FIBA (Internationale De Basketball Amateur Federation) medal, which includes the governing body’s “FIBA” initials across the front accompanied by an oversized star and a raised globe. The obverse shows in raised lettering: “BERLIN – MONTREAL – MCMXXXVI – MCMLXXVI” with a unique depiction of the both the five Olympic rings as well as the coat of arms of Germany. Also included in the mix are five Olympic-themed tie pins; the first is a red-and-white flag design with text reading “XI Olympiade Berlin 1936” showing. It comes complete inside its original white leather presentation purse. The second is a 1936 “Games of the XIth Olympiad” participant’s gold tie pin that shows a beautiful design of the Olympic torch as well as the five Olympic rings, while the third is a special gold-plated pin commemorating “Southern California Olympians Since 1943.” The next tie pin is bronze and shows three athletes lifting up a large globe with “USA” and the five Olympic rings showing at the top. The final tie pin is red, white, blue and gold and is titled “LA84” and shows a basketball player with the five Olympic rings at the bottom. On the reverse it reads: “BASKETBALL 1981 L.A. Oly. Com.”
Includes Letter of Authenticity from the Shy Family.