This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 5/11/2001.
Pedro Martinez made some serious major league history in his final start of the 1997 season on September 25 at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. In the fourth inning the Dominican Dandy blew away the Florida Marlins' Kurt Abbott to ring up strikeout No. 300. Martinez would fan five more to finish the season with 305 Ks, making him the 14th player in the modern era to clear 300 strikeouts and the first Latin player to do so. This would be Martinez' last start with the Expos, with whom he played three seasons and matured into arguably the game's finest pitcher. In this
spectacular Cy Young Award winning season, he became the first hurler since Walter Johnson in 1912 to post 300 Ks and an ERA under 2 (1.90). He has won two more Cy Young trophies since signing with the Boston Red Sox. This lightly scuffed ONL Coleman ball is an historical landmark, as the ball Martinez whiffed Abbott with. Martinez signed the ball on the sweet spot in blue pen, writing his name and "300-K, 9/25/97, #45" (his uniform number). The signature rates an 8. This lot comes with a letter of authenticity.