This is a truly unique lot, boasting a complete uniform from Clyde King, the manager of the Hollywood Stars in the Pacific Coast League in the team's final season on the West Coast. A former pitcher, coach, manager, general manager and front office executive in Major League Baseball whose career in baseball spanned over 60 years, he was perhaps best known for his longtime role as a special baseball adviser to George Steinbrenner, late owner of the New York Yankees. During his on-field managerial career he skippered the San Francisco Giants (1969–70), Atlanta Braves (1974–75) and Yankees (part of 1982), finishing with a career record of 234-229. A right-handed pitcher, he made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers at age 20 in 1944, his first professional season, during the manpower shortage caused by World War II. Although King would be sent to the minor leagues for seasoning after the war, he proved to be a solid member of the Brooklyn pitching staff (1944–45, 1947–48, 1951–52), winning 14 games for the 1951 Dodgers. When he finished his career with the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1953, King had appeared in an even 200 games, winning 32 and losing 25 with an ERA of 4.14. Before becoming a Big League manager, he managed several higher-level minor league clubs, including the Stars, Atlanta Crackers, Phoenix Giants, Columbus Jets, Rochester Red Wings, and served as a pitching coach for the Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates. This incredible head-to-toe ensemble is from that stint with the famed Hollywood Stars (AKA the Twinks), who played their final season in Los Angeles in 1957 as the Dodgers would arrive from Brooklyn the following year. In the 1950's, the Pacific Coast League was widely regarded as a "third major league," providing a level of play garnished by the blaze of Hollywood celebrities in the stands--and often the dugout--so a full head-to-toe uniform from the manager in this farewell season takes on additional historical significance.
King, who had been front and center a decade earlier as a member of the Dodgers when Jackie Robinson broke the infamous color barrier in Major League Baseball, signed his autograph a whopping six times to this museum-quality treasure--twice each on the cap, jersey and pants. This striking grey flannel zippered garment features the Stars' red-on-blue felt logo on the front left breast directly above his No. 23, also in red-on-blue felt. The shirt is in superb condition, showing good game use while remaining problem free, with the piping on the sleeve intact and unmolested, as is King's No. 23 on the back. The Wilson Size 44 manufacturer’s label appears on the front-left tail, accompanied by a '57' adjacent tag denoting the year. There are six holes (as tailored) under each arm to facilitate ventilation. King has provided his autograph in black marker twice on the shirt: below his No. 23 on the front left and on the front right closer to the shoulder, adding inscriptions "Best Wishes" and "1957 Hollywood Stars." King provided the exact same signature and inscriptions on the right front of the pants, adding a second signature on the left side below the belt. The accompanying flannel pants are likewise in outstanding game-used condition, with leather belt included. The one-button zippered fly remains intact and in working condition. Inside the front of the waistband is a Wilson Size 38 label and "57" is chain stitched on a small felt tag on the inside near the top of the zipper. Rounding out our amazing ensemble is a Wilson-tagged Size 7 1/4 Stars cap in great condition with red felt 'H' and two black marker King autographs under the bill, plus the blue leggings (same condition), and even Kings Size 6 spikes, showing expected wear but otherwise problem-free. Can we at least fantasize that the legendary bombshell Jayne Mansfield--the Star's unofficial booster and mascot--might have sidled up to King in the dugout a time or two during that final campaign in 1957?
Includes a Letter of Provenance from The Newport Sports Museum.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.