Why do star athletes sell their awards/rings

[richpick]

I understand when a semi-star or someone who makes the bigs for a cup of coffee sells off their most prized awards or championship rings but why do some stars do it. Do the awards and other items that are not WS rings not mean that much to them? I also realize when a legend dies the family realizes the value of certain items and lets them go but when I see someone who should be financially secure let their items be auctioned I wonder why. I realize Jose Canseco sold everything of his down to his rings probably because he needed the cash. Hey don't get me wrong if an athlete does not want it I am glad that a fan will have it and treasure it.

Richard

[hblakewolf]

Richard-
About 10 years ago, I was contacted b an individual who obtained Tug McGraw's 1980 Phillies World Series ring. McGraw was forced to part with it in order to pay off a bet.

The ring is one of my favoite Phillies items in my collection.

FYI
Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[Vintagedeputy]

Howard - do you collect other Phillies items? I have sometihng you may be interested in.

Jim

[metsbats]

I few years ago a lot of Jesse Orosco's personal items were auctioned off by a seller in AZ on ebay. The claim was that it was abandoned property left in a storage facility. Among items were Orosco's GU 1986 pants from the post season (tagged PO), bats, family photos, personalized photo personalized from Ron Darling, and an award given to him by the Brewers for community service. I later found out that it may have been Jesse's wife who auctioned the stuff off and he was actually looking to get alot of the stuff back!

David

[hblakewolf]

Howard - do you collect other Phillies items? I have sometihng you may be interested in.

Jim

Jim-
My promary focus are game used items from the Phillies, with a focus on jerseys worn during the 1974-1993 seasons.

You can contact me at the address below.

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[David]

I think if you're a star athlete, movie star or retired secretary of state you get medals, keys and awards everywhere you go. I once owned a plaque given to Jackie Robinson from a Platteville Wisconsin doctors' association. It was a nice looking plaque, but I doubt Mrs. Robinson hung in in the front hallway for visitors to be wowed by.

[jdr3]

While I would not call him a star athlete, I have been trying to buy the ring given to the members of the Georgetown 1982 national finals team that lost to UNC on mj's shot. He was a starter in the 1982 final game and the ring is very impressive, atleast to me. He wants 1K for it. If I had that kid of expendable income I would do it in a second. I think he gets the pride out of being a starter in that game and the ring does not add any luster to that fact. I'm throwing in my own 2 cents, but I think the jerseys, uniforms etc. we collect mean more to us since we did not make it to that level as athletes.

[Yankwood]

Alot of dentists get a little plaque from many famous people.

[bigtruck260]

Interesting post. I can appreciate the fact that many star athletes simply do not have the space in their mansions for EVERYTHING they have acquired over the years. My retirement is going to be funded in part by this little gem that was discarded by "The Man" back in the early 1980's. It pays to be a trash man sometimes...

[godwulf]

I'm throwing in my own 2 cents, but I think the jerseys, uniforms etc. we collect mean more to us since we did not make it to that level as athletes.

Good point. I often ask pro ballplayers what, or how much, of their own stuff they collect, when it comes to jerseys, bats, etc, and they'll usually say something like, one bat and one jersey from each team - that sort of thing. Some guys are big memorabilia collectors - Curt Schilling comes to mind - but they tend to collect mostly other guys' stuff, rather than their own. Jay Bell did a signing a few years ago, and I had a big table of stuff for him to sign; his wife, a very nice lady, came over and told me, "You've got more of Jay's stuff when we do."