This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2016
The late Moses Malone, aka “Chairman of the Boards,” was the most dominant rebounder of his era and one of the greatest low-post players in basketball history. He stood 6’10” with an intimidating goatee, but by far his most recognizable feature were the patented goggles he sported on the court, much like the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Moses has stated that he wore very few pairs throughout his career, which stretched from 1974 to 1995 on nine different teams beginning with the Utah Stars of the ABA. Offered here is a scarce pair of Malone’s game-worn goggles from the 1988 NBA All-Star game at Chicago Stadium, which can easily be photo-matched. They come with excellent provenance from a former Chicago Bulls ball boy who worked the event and got them courtside from Moses after the game as players left the court.
Combining his ABA and NBA statistics, Malone ranks 7th all-time in career points (29,580) and 3rd in total rebounds (17,834). He led the league in rebounding six times including a record five straight seasons from 1981-85. His three MVP awards and NBA title in 1983 with the Philadelphia 76ers in which he was named Finals MVP made Moses an easy choice as one the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players and enshrinement in the Naismith Hall of Fame. In the 1987-88 season as a member of the Washington Bullets, Malone put up 20.3 points per game to go along with 11.2 rebounds to earn his 2nd to last of 13 All-Star appearances. Based on the scarcity of unique pairs he wore and looking at game images on Getty, it is almost certain that Moses also wore these goggles in regular season action leading up to the All-Star game on Feb. 7, 1988. The goggles are made with hard clear plastic and have a beige rubber nose pad. The bridge and both temple ends are padded and taped with a cushionny material for comfort. They are secured with a black elastic head strap. Malone’s recent passing in September 2015 makes this pair of his trademark goggles even more special. They also come with a 1988 All-Star game-used towel, although its player attribution is unknown. A pair of Malone's circa 1986-88 goggles sold at auction last year for $5,676.
Includes LOA from a former Chicago Bulls ball boy who worked the 1988 All-Star Game at Chicago Stadium.