1929-1930 Chick Hafey St. Louis Cardinals Game-Used Jersey: Mears A5

• Sold For: $7,475
• Year: 1929
• Auction: 2008 April
• Lot #: 1
• Auction Category: Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

The bespectacled Charles James “Chick” Hafey may have been diminutive in appearance, but in fact he was a hard-hitting outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. The 1971 Hall of Fame inductee consistently placed in several Senior Circuit batting categories including average, slugging percentage, extra base hits, runs batted in and even home runs. So prolific was Hafey that in 1971 renowned author Lawrence Ritter ranked him as one of the Top 100 greatest baseball players of all time. Securing genuine period mementos of such talent is no small feat. Quite often game-worn or used memorabilia from pre-war Hall of Famers is securely nestled in advanced collections as permanent keepsakes. The offered 1929-1930 Chick Hafey St. Louis Cardinals game-used home jersey is a remarkable artifact of this depression era stalwart. This Sainz button-down flannel reveals moderate to heavy game usage. The entire left portion of the jersey is lightly slit while all of the buttons are missing with the exception of one. Additionally, the neck and shoulder piping exhibits slight soiling and toning, while a moderate hole is found on the front tail. The embroidered team lettering is vibrant and intact, while the unnumbered back conceals Hafey’s lightly stitched player identification tag on the tail. Also present is the manufacturer tag on the collar along with an arm patch. For eight seasons “Chick” roamed the outfield of Sportsman’s Park, starring in the Cardinals uniform. The apparel of this Cooperstown enshrinee is a unique survivor and a paramount acquisition for the discerning memorabilia collector with an eye for the very best. Graded: MEARS A5.