Tripp Scott Quarterbacks The Auction Of Johnny Unitas Memorabilia At The Super Bowl
At this year's Super Bowl to be held on February 11, in conjunction with the NFL and Hunt Auctions, as part of the fan experience in Las Vegas, on Saturday, February 10, immediately prior to the Super Bowl, unique and valuable Johnny Unitas memorabilia will be auctioned in person and one line to the public. The items to be auctioned are from the province and collection of the Unitas family as well as from the collection of the Unitas memorabilia that had been donated to the Babe Ruth Sports Museum in Baltimore.
This convergence of the various parties in order to create an NFL sponsored auction of the memorabilia involved bringing all of the constituents together in order to create this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for sports fans to acquire one-of-a-kind memorabilia items.
Tripp Scott director Chuck Tatelbaum has been the attorney for the Unitas family for more than four decades, and served as the co-personal representative and co-trustee of the Johnny Unitas estate. Attorneys with the law firm worked with Chuck, the Unitas family, and the Babe Ruth sports Museum in conjunction with Hunt Auctions to create this event. As part of the sale process, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the NFL charities in order to promote its nationwide outreach to the youth of this country.
Nicknamed “The Golden Arm,” Johnny Unitas led the (then) Baltimore Colts to the NFL Championship in 1958 which is now referred to as “The Greatest Game Ever Played”. The thrilling overtime victory by the Colts in the 1958 title game was nationally televised and is widely credited with the escalation of popularity of the NFL during the 1960s era. Unitas would continue with the Colts for the majority of his career ending with three NFL Championships, one Super Bowl championship, three NFL MVP awards, and a slew of NFL passing records including his vaunted mark of 47 consecutive games with a passing touchdown. His Super Bowl V championship ring is also in the auction.
Among the items to be auctioned, Unitas’ 14k gold 1958 championship ring, expected to sell for between $100,000 and $200,000, Other items in the auction sale include:
Johnny's professional model high top cleats c.1970s
His 1979 Football Hall of Fame Induction ring
His autographed Baltimore Colts professional model helmet c. Late 1960s-early 1970s
1967, the NFL Most Valuable Player award: Jim Thorpe Memorial Trophy
1964, the Pro Bowl Most Valuable Player Award and his championship Rolex wristwatch.
Many other items from the family's collection and from the Museum will be in the auction as well.
Tripp Scott is proud to have been chosen to be the legal team that created this unique opportunity for sports fans throughout the United States.
