Description: New York Giants ticket stub issued for Game 1 of the 1954 World Series against the Cleveland Indians in which Willie Mays made his historic over-the-shoulder catch. Graded VG-EX 4 by PSA. This is one of only 12 examples graded at this level in the PSA Population Report. In addition to its lofty condition status, it should also be noted that aside from proofs, no full examples appear in the PSA Population Report. This is one of the most significant postwar World Series tickets in the hobby. The holder of this ticket was witness to one of the greatest catches in baseball history and it seems only fitting that it occurred on baseball's biggest stage. The Indians, who won 111 games in 1954, were heavy favorites in the Series as the two clubs met at the Polo Grounds for Game 1 of the Series. With the score tied 2-2 entering the top of the eighth inning, the Indians looked ready to break the game open as Larry Doby led off with a walk and Al Rosen followed with a single to put men at first and second. Slugger Vic Wertz was up next and launched a mammoth drive to deep center field that looked for sure to be a bases clearing double or triple. Unfortunately for the Indians, the centerfielder that day was Willie Mays. New York fans were used to seeing Mays making remarkable catches, but even the most diehard Giants fans almost fainted in amazement as Mays ran down Wertz's drive by making an incredible over-shoulder-catch and then, in almost a single motion, fired the ball back towards the infield. The catch not only saved two runs, but the game, as the Indians failed to score that inning and the Giants ultimately prevailed in the tenth inning on Dusty Rhodes' three-run walk-off home run. It should be noted that this ticket has been appreciating in value dramatically in the past few years, as evidenced by an auction price of $22,900 for a PSA VG 3 example in April 2022.
Price: 7000 USD
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
End Time: 2025-01-11T16:26:55.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Sport: Baseball
Player: Willie Mays
Year: 1954
Original/Reproduction: Original
Team: Clevelan Indians
Grade: Very Good
Team-Baseball: New York Giants
Vintage: Yes
Event/Tournament: World Series