This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/28/2013
After knocking on the door of the World Series from 1976-78, the Phillies braintrust figured one final piece to the puzzle was needed, and they made 1979 free-agent Pete Rose the highest-paid player in professional sports to address that need. The multi-talented Rose dutifully moved from third to first base - the Phillies already a pretty fair country ballplayer at third in Mike Schmidt - and by 1980 the club had nailed down the first World Series crown in club history. In Rose's final campaign in Philadelphia they reached the Fall Classic once again, only to fall to the Orioles in five games.
This blazing pinstriped masterpeice bears witness to the extraordinary impact that the all-time hit king had on the franchise's fortunes, showing good game use and a grand presentation overall, from the sparkling Phillies burgundy stitched letters and his No. 14, along with the distinctive Phillies "P" on the front left breast. All those elements show barely the slightest whisper of fraying of the stitching or any loss of color intensity; the shirt has a "Rose" embroidered tag on the collar and the appropriate Wilson Size 44 tagging on the lower front, plus the "83 1" smaller embroidered tag beneath it. The distinctive Phillies Centennial logo patch appears on the left sleeve in the same sterling condition as the other elements. There is the smallest bit of fraying around the stitching of the collar piece. A blazing blue iconic Pete Rose autographs adorns the left front of the shirt, along with an inscription of "1980 World Series Champs."
Includes a LOA from Troy Kinunen and Dave Bushing of SCD Authentic.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.