Mid-Summer Classic Auction 2013

This 19-inch high trophy was awarded to Bret Saberhagen as the Kansas City Royals Pitcher of the Year for 1985, an honor quite fairly bestowed several times on the three-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young Award winner during his eight years in Kansas City. A 13-inch high loving cup with a silver-painted figural of a pitcher rests on a small wooden base with a nameplate that reads "Bret Saberhagen" in all caps. This in turn rests on a larger wooden base of 8 1/2 inches square, with silver eagle figurals on each corner. An 8-by-2 1/2-inch silver nameplate notes: Bruce Rice Award, 1985 Royals Pitcher-of-the-Year, Fifteenth Annual Kansas City Baseball Awards Dinner, January 25, 1986." Saberhagen has signed the back panel of the bottom wood base in bold, black Sharpie. Most elements of the award are in virtually Near-Mint condition, with barely a whisper even of the expected tarnishing on the silver-painted pieces. The award is named after Bruce Rice, an extremely popular Kansas City sportscaster, who died of a heart attack in 1978. The award is part of a series of team-specific honors voted on by the Kansas City Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Comes with a Letter of Authenticity from Bret Saberhagen. Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.