Ty Cobb bat among items sold at auction
Less than 24 hours before Smarty Jones went for his Triple Crown run, the saddle of last year's equine darling, Seabiscuit, sold for $46,918.
The saddle, used in the 1930s by the horse popularized in Laura Hillenbrand's book and the subsequent movie, was one of many one-of-a-kind items up for bid in a two-day auction conducted by auction house Leland's that generated $4.5 million in sales.
Secretariat's bit and bridle worn by the horse in all three Triple Crown races in 1973 did not reach its reserve of $40,000 and was not sold.
The highest price realized for any auction item was $89,241 for a Ty Cobb bat used during the 1920s. A bat used by Barry Bonds to hit home runs No. 446-458 sold for $26,995.
The auction was full of Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees memorabilia. Don Zimmer's 1955 Dodgers World Series ring sold for $44,621 and a passport used by Jackie Robinson on the Dodgers' tour to Japan in 1956 sold for $13,066.
Mickey Mantle's 1959 Yankees contract went for $40,493, and his 521st home run ball brought in $19,762. A Mickey Mantle-signed American Express card sold for $4,908.
Other baseball-related items auctioned off included Darryl Strawberry's 1986 Mets World Series player trophy ($13,853) and a 1968 Reds jersey worn by Pete Rose ($24,541).
Wilt Chamberlain's 1962 rookie Philadelphia Warriors jersey cost the winning bidder $33,465, while Elgin Baylor's 1968 Los Angeles Lakers jersey sold for $25,187.
In hockey, the complete set of boards that encircled the ice in Lake Placid for the "Miracle on Ice" game against the Russians in the 1980 Olympics sold for $11,750. Two jerseys -- a 1989 Edmonton Oilers jersey worn by Mark Messier and a 1973-74 Boston Bruins jersey worn by Phil Esposito -- sold for $19,599 and $22,865, respectively.
A robe worn by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, who was played by Denzel Washington in the movie "The Hurricane" (1999), sold for $4,113.
Darren Rovell, who covers sports business for ESPN.com, can be reached at Darren.rovell@espn3.com.
