This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/21/2017
This is the game ball awarded by the Raiders to George Blanda after the hard-fought December 14, 1974 win against Dallas. The Monday Night game, beamed live to millions of viewers, became an instant classic due to announcer Alex Karras’s impromptu commentary when watching the steam rise off Otis Sistrunk’s bald head when he removed his helmet: “…and of course that’s Otis Sistrunk, out of the University of Mars…” Down on the field, the Raiders battled back from a 4th quarter deficit to preserve their best in the NFL 12-2 record. The Wilson Official NFL football has been signed by the 1974 Raiders team. The black ink signatures have faded with age, but the applied white lettering proclaiming this a “GAME BALL GIVEN TO GEORGE BLANDA RAIDERS 27 COWBOYS 23 12-14-74” are still affixed.
The football is cradled in a yellow plastic stand mounted to the wood base of Blanda’s 1970 NEA Third Down Trophy. The 8” x 8” x 5 1/2” wooden base has two silver eagles flanking an engraved brass plaque reading "NEA THIRD DOWN TROPHY - GEORGE BLANDA - VOTED BY THE OAKLAND RAIDERS - 1970 - PRESENTED BY THE SEAMLESS COMPANY." At some point, Blanda had customized his NEA trophy by replacing the missing platform feature with a yellow tee for displaying this game ball. The wood base shows light scuffs and wear from age and the football shows light toning.
LOA from the Blanda Family.