This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/11/2013
Beautiful 1989 Rawlings Gold Glove Award given to San Diego Padres catcher Benito Santiago, considered perhaps the finest defensive catcher of his era during his prime and the winner of three Gold Gloves. This was the last of his three consecutive Gold Gloves, won from 1988-90. A player with a unique style and rare skills, he was a five-time All-Star and winner of four Silver Slugger Awards to go with the 1987 National League Rookie of the Year Award. Near the end of his career in 2002, he won the NLCS MVP. He finished with a .263 lifetime average, with 217 home runs and 920 RBIs. The special trophy Rawlings catcher's mitt is made from gold lame tanned leather and sits atop the third of three tiers of a wood base that features an artist's rendering of a Santiago portrait that tapers from 6 1/2 inches to 5 inches wide at the top and is 4 inches high. It is flanked by similarly imposing gold-tanned Rawlings baseballs perched on the second tier, which also boasts a 15-inch nameplate that has "1989 Rawlings Gold Glove Award, Presented to Benito Santiago, Honoring His Selection As The Finest in the Field!" and flanked by the famed Rawlings script logos on each side. The final overall dimensions of the bottom tier of the wood base are 17-by-6 inches, with the tip of the glove reaching 16 inches high. On the back wood panel opposite the Santiago photo the former catcher has planted a 8-9/10 black Sharpie autograph. All elements of the trophy appear to be in essentially in as-issued and problem-free condition.
Comes with a Letter of Authenticity from Benito Santiago.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.