1980 Career Achievements "44" Ring Presented to Willie McCovey by His Teammates from The Willie McCovey Collection....

Description

1980 Career Achievements "44" Ring Presented to Willie McCovey by His Teammates from The Willie McCovey Collection. Despite brief stints in San Diego and Oakland, Willie McCovey was always a San Francisco Giant at heart and he enjoyed his most productive seasons in "The City." Presented to Mac by his Giants' teammates on Willie McCovey Weekend (September 20-21, 1980), this stunning piece of 14K baseball bling catalogs the Hall of Famer's career achievements.

The face displays a raised and real diamond studded "44" atop a jet black stone, surrounded by "San Francisco Giants 1959-1980." Meanwhile, the sides proclaim "All-Stars 6, M.V.P. 1969," "521, 18," "McCovey" and "Stretch." Also, the inner band is inscribed "9-21-80" and stamped "14K." The ring measures to a size of ten and three quarters (10.75) and weighs approximately twenty-four and a half grams (24.5 g.). Exhibits some wear which is not excessive.

This lot also includes a copy of a 1980 newspaper article, by Nick Peters, which mentions the ring as having being presented to Stretch by his teammates on Willie McCovey Weekend. Note: The online image of the 1981 studio portrait picturing McCovey wearing the ring is not included with the lot but is its own separate lot in this sale. Letter of provenance from Willie McCovey's widow.

More Information: The Willie McCovey Collection

He was called "the scariest hitter in baseball" by Bob Gibson (the game’s scariest pitcher), leading the National League in intentional walks four times, and twice claiming two-thirds of the National League Triple Crown. After twenty-two seasons in the Majors—nineteen in San Francisco--McCovey retired second only to the great Babe Ruth in left-handed homers (521). He’d enter the Hall of Fame on his first ballot, only the sixteenth player to enjoy such an expeditious Cooperstown induction. Though McCovey spent much of his career haunted by his 1962 World Series-ending liner—a ball that almost certainly would have provided his Giants a walk-off victory had it eluded Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson’s grasp—he remains one of the most beloved figures in franchise history. Long homers to right field—the kind which Stretch supplied in droves—now land in a cove named for McCovey at the Giants’ home ballpark.

The pages that follow contain the most impressive and comprehensive assembly of McCovey memorabilia that exists, consigned to auction by his widow, who will provide a letter of provenance for each lot. Highlights include his 1969 National League MVP Award, his 1982 "Babe Ruth Crown," his 1986 Hall of Fame induction ring and plaque, and his better-late-than-never World Championship ring for his front office contributions to the winning cause of the 2014 San Francisco Giants.