ADDENDUM: The lot heading and description has been changed for this lot. This is not believed to be the actual base Lou Brock stole on August 29, 1977 to break Ty Cobb’s record, but a presentation base commemorating the feat that Brock gifted to former Padres owner and McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc.
On August 29, 1977, St. Louis Cardinals base-stealing thief Lou Brock recorded his record 893rd swipe, breaking Ty Cobb’s longstanding record in the process. Brock, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, played two more seasons for the Redbirds and added 38 more stolen bases to finish his career with a total of 938. Brock’s record-breaking swipe from ’77 took place at the originally San Diego Stadium versus the Padres. The ballpark was subsequently named Jack Murphy Stadium (1980-97) and then Qualcomm Stadium (1998 to 2003) before the Padres opened up Petco Park in 2004. To commemorate the historic theft, Brock presented this painted and inscribed base to then-Padres’ owner Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s.
Brock signed and inscribed the base with the following message in black marker: “To: Ray Kroc ‘Best Wishes’ To All of San Diego a place in history I shall never forget. Lou Brock St. Louis Cardinals Aug. 29, 1977.” On the white base’s top right-hand corner the moment is clearly written in black marker: “AUG. 29, 1977 No. 893 BROKE ALL-TIME STOLEN BASE RECORD SAN DIEGO STADIUM.” The top left corner of the base includes a photo of Brock in his home white Cardinals uniform as well as a printed color illustration of Brock swiping yet another base.
Includes Letter of Provenance from the San Diego Hall of Champions. Autograph and inscription pre-certified by PSA/DNA.