This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/21/2017
Presented here is a wonderful piece from the flame-throwing Hall of Famer Goose Gossage, a White Sox game-worn road jersey from 1975, the year when Goose Gossage became Goose Gossage. He posted a startling 1.84 ERA en route to a league-leading 26 Saves, the first of 10 seasons of 20 or more saves and the first of three times he would lead the league. The shirt is a great item from Stage One of his amazing 22-year career, with perhaps his most famous tenure still a few years off in the Bronx.
This shirt tells the story of a career that would end up in Cooperstown. On the front left tail is the Wilson Size 44 manufacturer's tag with washing instructions. Below is a strip tag with "75 Set 2" embroidered on it. Across the chest reads "Chicago" in red on white tackle twill and "WHITE SOX" in white chain-stitching on the red on white tackle twill banner that runs below "Chicago." Gossage's No. 54 appears on the back and on the left sleeve in red on white tackle twill sewn directly onto the powder blue jersey. The back numeral “4” shows evidence of being changed from a “5” meaning the jersey was originally issued as number “55.” Given the apparent age and puckering of the numeral “4” we suspect that this change was made prior to this jersey’s issuance to Gossage. "Gossage" is embroidered on a powder blue strip tag at the back of the collar. The shirt shows good game use, with some light puckering of tackle twill elements, minimal fraying of the delicate stitching and some visible wear along the zipper section around the "Chicago White Sox" banner twill across the front. Overall, it is an important item from a key figure in MLB history as the 20th century came to a close.