Spring Premier Auction 2013

From a man described as the best clubhouse leader the Phillies ever had comes this wonderful combination of game-used chest protector from the earliest stages of his career and a nifty pair of spikes thought to be from later on in 13 years in Philadelphia. He was, quite simply, one of those players whose impact on the ball club far exceeded what might be reflected in a conventional assessment of his statistics. In 14 seasons, Daulton hit .245 with 137 home runs, 588 RBI and 511 runs scored in 1161 games. He was ranked as the 25th greatest catcher of all time by Bill James in the 2001 edition of his Historical Baseball Abstract. On August 6, 2010, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame. The chest protector is a rare find in memorabilia circles, with this one showing excellent game use and the kind of wear you might expect from one of the more vital elements in the lineup of “tools of ignorance.” All of the elements appear to be intact and working, with considerable wear, rust and tarnish showing around some of the metal pieces adjoining straps and eyelets and on metal buttons that adhere the straps to the protector. The Wilsom insignia appears on the leather strap piece and on a sewn-on label on the front left breast. Daulton’s No. 10 appears written by hand in black marker on the back of the protector at the top. The Size 10 Nike Air shoes also show good game use but are in much better condition and presumably from several years later in his career. From the laces and the inside panels to the tongues and the embroidery of “Air” and the Nike Swoosh logo on the heels, all elements appear to be essentially as-issued and problem-free. Daulton’s No. 10 is again written in black marker at the base of the back of the heels.