This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/12/2020
Clyde Lovellette was in the midst of besting his career-best 1955-56 numbers the following season when he injured his ankle during a mid-January game in St. Louis. At first, it was feared the big Minneapolis center had broken his left ankle, a career-ending injury in some cases, career-altering in many more. Fortunately, though doctors later deemed the injury to be worse than a sprain, it was, in fact, not broken. None-the-less, the injury held Clyde back from playing in the second of the four NBA All-Star Games that he would be voted to during his career. Vern Mikkelsen, a Lakers teammate of Lovellette’s, took his place on the Western squad. Held at the Boston Garden, the game was almost the exact opposite of the previous years’ meet up, this time the East prevailing 109-97, replicating almost the same margin of victory. The West was surely missing Lovellette’s height and aggressive scoring, since his replacement, Vern Mikkelsen, managed just six points in the 21 minutes he played. As Lovellette’s injury happened just days before the All-Star Game, he had already been issued his white jersey for the game, complete with his number. The game-ready All-Star blue jersey has Lovellette’s number “34” in white tackle twill surrounded by six red tackle twill stars. The arm and neck openings are ringed with red and white ribbing. The back of the jersey has a larger number “34” in blue tackle twill and repeats the six red tackle twill stars from the front. A size 44 Wilson label is located inside the rear tail of the jersey. The piece shows light toning throughout and some loose threads found on the tackle twill graphics. The matching shorts have a red, white and blue waistband and red and white ribbing along the leg openings. The shorts show light toning overall and display nicely. An attractive All-Star game-ready set issued to the 4-time All-Star and NBA Hall of Famer. Comes with an LOA from MEARS A10. Accompanied by an LOA from the family of Clyde Lovellette