Fall Premier Auction 2017

These hotel credit cards were issued to Mel Ott during the 1956-58 period when he was the Tigers play-by-play broadcaster. The Hall of Famer had 511 home runs in his long career spent entirely with the Giants and had moved from player to manager to front office. By 1955 Ott was ready to expand his resume and took a position as a radio broadcaster with the Mutual Radio Network. Ott’s down to earth tone and likable manner endeared him to listeners and he was hired full-time by the Tigers in 1956. Unfortunately, Mel Ott’s broadcasting career was cut short during the winter of 1958 when he perished in an automobile accident. These early credit cards are printed on card board and each have been signed in ballpoint. The first card is dated 1956 and was issued by the Shoreham Hotel in Washington. The card has been signed “Mel Ott” in blue ball point in shows light wear near the top front of the card and overall toning from its being kept in a wallet. The second card is dated 1958 and issued by the Statler Hilton. Th Hall of Famer has signed the card in blue ball point “Melvin T. Ott.” The card shows overall toning from age with no creases. The final card is for the Albert Pick hotel in Chicago and dated 1958 and signed “Melvin Ott” in blue ball point pen. There top edge shows some roughness but the rest of the card and signature are in good condition. All three cards have been graded Authentic and encapsulated by PSA/DNA. Ott family letter of provenance.