This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 5/11/2001.
Had Eddie Ciotte not taken a $10,000 bribe to throw the 1919 World Series, causing his banishment from MLB, he would have been remembered as one of baseball's greatest pitchers. In a 14-year career, which ended after the 1920 season, Cicotte had already recorded 208 victories and was in the prime of his career with 20 game victory seasons for the Chicago White Sox in 1917 (28-12), 1919 (29-7) and 1920 (21-10). He had a lifetime ERA of 2.37. This jersey is from the 1912 season, his last with the Boston Red Sox, where he won 50 games in four full seasons with an ERA that never rose above the 3.00 mark. He was traded that year to the White Sox doomed to become the Black Sox and became one of the great pitchers in the AL. This wonderful, vintage, flannel pinstrip has the "Horace Partridge" label sewn into the neck where one of the labels is missing. On the left inside tail, the name "Cicotte" is embroidered in light red chain stitch. Across the front of the jerseyis the name "Red Sox" in faded red felt block letters. On the bottom of the shirt are two pieces of material that were pulled through two bottom buttonholes so that the shirt could be neatly tucked into the trousers. With the exception of the missing label in the collar, the shirt appears to have no alterations of any kind.