Several items of Hank Aaron memorabilia were sold at auction this weekend despite an ongoing dispute between the Braves and Heritage Auctions that now includes a lawsuit.
The auction of one of the items closed early Saturday morning with a 1954 Aaron game worn and signed Milwaukee Braves rookie jersey going for $2.1 million. The auction continued well past the Friday deadline as several bidders kept the auction going. On Saturday, a game-worn jersey and cap from 1974 were sold. On Sunday, three more disputed items were sold. One did not meet the minimum required bid and the bidding will continue for 14 days.
The Braves listed eight items in a cease and desist letter sent to Heritage Auctions last week with a deadline of Tuesday to withdraw the items. Hours after the deadline, the most prominent lot, the home plate and bases from Aaron’s 715th home run, were withdrawn from the auction. The next day, Heritage Auctions filed a lawsuit against the Braves.
The seven disputed items at auction are:
· 1954 Hank Aaron game worn and signed Milwaukee Braves rookie jersey. Sold for $2.1 million.
· 1974 Hank Aaron game worn Atlanta Braves jersey. Sold for $138,000.
· 1974 Hank Aaron game worn Atlanta Braves cap. Sold for $9,000.
· 1948 Jim Prendergast game worn Boston Braves satin uniform. Auction extended 14 days.
· 1957 Bob Buhl game worn Milwaukee Braves uniform. Sold for $4,320.
· 1958 Joe Adcock game worn Milwaukee Braves jersey. Sold for $8,400.
· 1958 Del Crandall Gold Glove Award. Sold for $7,200.
Heritage Auctions filed the lawsuit with four causes of action. They are defamation, business disparagement, intentional interference with contractual relations and intentional interference with prospective economic relations.
In the lawsuit, Heritage Auctions notes that the home plate and bases from Aaron’s home run No. 715 were consigned by the son of a former Braves employee who acquired them with the knowledge and express consent of the Braves’ then-owner. William Bartholomay was the Braves owner in 1974. He sold the team to Ted Turner in 1975. Bartholomay died in 2020.
The Braves dispute the authenticity of some of the items, namely the bases, and question how others ended up at auction. The Baseball Hall of Fame has a display that features the third base from Aaron’s 715th home run. The Hall told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Aaron gave the base to the museum in 1982, along with other mementos from his career.
Heritage Auctions claims the items are all authentic. In its lawsuit, Heritage Auctions states that the disputed items came from a total of five consignors and that all except for the bases have been auctioned at least once in the past.
A statement to the AJC from Heritage Auctions reads: “We do not comment on pending legal matters. However, Heritage Auctions prides itself on transparency and authenticity and stands behind every item we offer at auction.”
A statement to the AJC from a Braves spokesman read: “We intend to vigorously defend the ownership of our property in a court of law and will not be issuing any further statements as this is an ongoing legal matter.”
Both Heritage Auctions and the Braves have declined further comment.
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