Spring Premier Auction 2013

Ferguson Jenkins may in fact be the ultimate cautionary tale for major league front-office officials about not giving up on young players too early. After viewing all of 15 innings unevenly divided between 1965-66, the Phillies unceremoniously shipped the youngster to Chicago in an historic trade that posed the age-old question about youthful potential vs. established stars. The Phillies' reward for banishing Jenkins (and two other young players) to the Cubs were veteran hurlers Bob Buhl and Larry Jackson, both on the the tail end of great careers. They jointly provided their new club with 47 wins over the next three years; Jenkins' tenure with the Cubs would be 167 wins, the lion's share of a remarkable 284-226 lifetime ledger and a plaque in Cooperstown. Thus we find considerable historical import added to this marvelous road jersey from the team that signed one of the greatest hurlers of his generation. On the front left tail is the "Wilson" manufacturers Size 44 tag with wash instructions. Embroidered below in black are two small tags noting "Set 1" and "66" in red chain stitch. In the back inside collar is the "Jenkins" chain-stitched strip tag. All lettering and numbering of the "Phillies" on the shirt front and his No. 30 on the back are done in burgundy chenille on white tackle twill, with minimal fraying of the stitching, primarily on the back number. The jersey shows game-use and appears to have no alterations of any kind.