This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/10/2001.
Harry S. Truman held the country together after the death of FDR elevated him to the presidency and saw it through to victory in WWII. A man of the people, Truman often took a break from the burdens of the job by attending ballgames at Griffith Stadium, regularly throwing out the first ball on Opening Day. This remarkable cream colored OAL Harridge ball is one of those first-pitch horsehides tossed by Truman and was signed by the President for the Senators' batboy Emmett Lanier, a dugout regular in the park from 1941 to 1947.The signature is on a side panel in pen is still clear and legible, rating a strong 6. As baseball mementos go, presidential signed balls are extremely rare, making this one a treasured piece of Americana. The ball itself is fairly clean with just a few areas of wear. It comes with extensive documentation in the form of a PSA letter of authenticity, a letter of authenticity from Lanier, and a signed photo of Lanier at a ball-signing ceremony at Griffith Stadium with Clark Griffith. Commissioner Happy Chandler and Army Gen. Wainwright.