This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/10/2022
Centerfielder Paul Blair played 17 seasons in the Majors, his first thirteen with the Baltimore Orioles where he was a vital contributor on two World Series championship teams in 1966 and 1970. A steady bat at the top of the lineup with some pop and tremendous speed, the two-time All-Star was best known for his defense as he won eight A.L. Gold Glove awards for the O’s. In the twilight of his career, Blair joined the New York Yankees in 1977 and helped the Bronx Bombers take their first World Series since 1962, hitting a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 12th inning to win Game 1 and set up Mr. October’s dramatics later in the series.
This offered Yankees home gamer of Blair’s hails from 1978, a season best remembered for Boston’s epic collapse down the stretch that saw New York tie the Sox and win a one-game playoff thanks to the heroics of Bucky Friggin’ Dent. As a matter of fact, it has been conclusively photo-matched to Paul Blair wearing it in Game 4 of the 1978 Fall Classic against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Blair had two hits and scored the tying run in the bottom of the eighth on a Thurman Munson double. The Yanks would win it in the 10th on Lou Piniella’s game-winning RBI single, tying the series at two games apiece and swinging the momentum N.Y.’s way to take the next two and repeat over L.A. in six.
The classic pinstriped button-down jersey features the famous interlocking ‘NY’ sewn on the upper left chest. Blair’s No. 2 has been sewn on the back in the same navy tackle twill. The Wilson manufacturer’s tagging is sewn on the front left tail. The inner collar has a partial team strip tag with “78 1” [year and set#) embroidered on the remaining strip portion and “SCAF” (?) in black marker on the missing section. The left sleeve has remnants of a black armband that was removed, making it possible that this shirt was assigned to Bobby Murcer who, after Blair’s departure, wore #2 upon his return to the Yankees in 1979. (NY did not wear black armbands in ’78.) Overall, the jersey exhibits outstanding evidence of game use with numerous soiling and sweat stains. The navy letters and number display consistent puckering and fading. LOA from Resolution Photomatching, using the unique pinstripe alignment on the reverse for the match.