This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/8/2018
Oscar “Ossie” Vitt was a utility infielder for the Detroit Tigers (1912-18) and Boston Red Sox (1919-21), but he is better known for his longtime managerial career in the Pacific Coast League. His Hollywood Stars clubs from the late 1920s to mid-30s had one of the most dominant runs in minor league history. This unmatched PCL success earned him a shot as a big league manager with the Indians from 1938 to '40, a controversial stint that brought about the notorious "Cleveland Crybabes."
Vitt had many famous teammates throughout his playing career (including Babe Ruth in 1919), but he spent the most years with Hall of Famers Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford in Detroit. On July 27, 1957 the New York Yankees hosted the Tigers for an MLB game and Old Timer's Day with former players from each team. As part of the festivities, two incoming Hall of Famers from that year's class were honored: longtime Yanks manager Joe McCarthy and "Wahoo" Sam Crawford. Ossie attended the ceremony and received this offered plate as a gift.
The sterling silver hallmarked plate measure 11" in diameter and has the Yankees team logo at the top, with "YANKEES -DETROIT OLD TIMERS - HONORING NEW HALL OF FAME MEMBERS - JOSEPH V. McCARTHY [space] SAM CRAWFORD - YANKEE STADIUM JULY 27, 1957 - OSCAR VITT. This is quite a unique item; we've yet to find another example that has surfaced. And the provenance is impeccable.
Includes LOA from Vitt family.