| SIGNER: Warren Spahn BALL MANUFACTURER: Rawlings BALL TYPE: Official Minor League COMMENTS / CONDITION: As with all of my signed items, the signature is guaranteed to pass inspection by any major authenticator, or your money back. See photos for signature quality and ball condition. This ball will ship in an acrylic display holder. Combined shipping is available for multiple ball purchases. BIO: Warren Edward Spahn was born in Buffalo, NY and died in 2003 in Broken Arrow, OK. He played major league baseball from 1942 to 1965 as pitcher for the Boston Braves, Milwaukee Braves, and brief stints with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants, appeared in the 1948, 1957 and 1958 World Series, was selected 17 times as an All-Star, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973. Spahn was the 1957 Cy Young Award winner, and was the runner-up three times, all during the period when just one award was given. Spahn was known for a very high leg kick in his delivery, surpassed perhaps only by eventual Giants teammate Juan Marichal. Photo sequences show that this high kick served a specific purpose. As a left-hander, Spahn was able not only to watch any runner on first base, but also to not telegraph whether he was delivering to the plate or to first base, thereby forcing the runner to stay close to the bag. Spahn adapted over the years. As his fastball waned, Spahn relied more on changing speeds and location, with the help of a devastating screwball. He led the NL in wins from age 36 through 40. Spahn briefly managed the Tulsa Oilers AAA franchise in the Pacific Coast League in the 1960's. He also coached for the Mexico City Tigers, and also pitched a handful of games there. He was a pitching coach with the Cleveland Indians, in the minor leagues for the California Angels, and for six years, with Japan's Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Spahn died of natural causes, at his home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. A few months before his death, Spahn attended the unveiling of a statue outside Atlanta's Turner Field. The statue depicts Spahn in the middle of one of his leg kicks. The statue was created by Shan Gray, who has sculpted numerous other statues of athletes which stand in Oklahoma, including another one of Spahn that resides in the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. SKU: BB1521
Item: BB1521
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