CollectSports » News » The Phil Rizzuto Collection Is Consigned to Geppi’s Memorabilia Road Show

New York, February 2, 2006 – The Phil Rizzuto Collection, the personal memorabilia of the immortal New York Yankees great, has been consigned to Geppi’s Memorabilia Road Show and will be auctioned this Summer.

Rizzuto, one of the most popular players to ever wear the Yankee uniform and the oldest living Hall of Famer at 88, is beloved by multiple generations of baseball fans, first for his sparkling play at shortstop where he ultimately helped lead the Yankees to an unprecedented five consecutive world championships (1949-53), and then as one of the most popular broadcasters in baseball history, winning over millions of fans during a 40 year television and radio career spanning Casey Stengel to Joe Torre.

Geppi’s Memorabilia Road Show (pronounced JEP-ee), specializes in direct consignment from players, adding an enormous level of value and authenticity to the items. It will certainly be one of the most watched auctions for a single athlete ever held, given the prominence of Phil as a Hall of Fame player and as a New York Yankee star on the field and in the booth.

Including never-before-seen photographs and scrapbooks, the collection will likely surpass 1,000 lots. It is just now beginning to be inspected and catalogued.

Included will be Phil’s rookie home uniform, his 1950 uniform and cap (with a now 56-year old piece of gum stuck on the top!), World Series rings, an original Leroy Neiman painting of Phil, a Yogi Berra mitt from the ‘40s, handwritten letters from Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon, a 1940s game used glove, a 1956 Mickey Mantle Christmas card to Phil (yes, with a ribald expression written in), the plaque given to the 11 players who were part of the five world championship teams, the commemorative plaque presented to teammates by Don Larsen after his perfect game, and Phil’s #10 old timers day uniform with the #7 Mickey Mantle tribute on the sleeve.

Also, the platinum record for the Meatloaf hit “Paradise By The Dashboard Light”, which featured Phil’s voice, a sawed-off half bat signed on the flat surface by the 1949 Yankees and Red Sox, and another signed by the 1950 American League All-Star team, and a treasure trove of photos, scrapbooks, pins, balls, books, programs, and ticket stubs. Many more treasures will certainly be discovered as the cataloging process unfolds.

Phil and Cora Rizzuto, his bride of 62 years (who is almost as well known to Yankee fans as he is through his broadcasts), were on hand at Mickey Mantle’s Restaurant today for a press conference to announce the auction.

"We're planning on moving to smaller quarters, our family is scattered, so it's time to consolidate," said Cora Rizzuto. "This is a chance to share these memories with fans who have been so great to me for so long," added Phil. “The fact that Geppi’s Memorabilia Road Show has included people like Bobby Murcer, Diana Munson and my dear pal Barry Halper who we just recently lost, makes it feel like I’m doing this with family.”

The auction will be conducted via Internet, phone and fax.