Baseballs become works of art in Little League benefit auction
By CHRIS OLDS | Beckett Baseball Editor
Forty baseballs painted and designed by Little League baseball players and autographed by athletes as well as celebrities such as Alyssa Milano, Zac Efron and Drew Barrymore raised a few thousand dollars for Little League Baseball and Softball this week as part of the Baseball Design Across America Tour.
The online auctions, sponsored by Subway, included a national tour that started in Los Angeles and made several stops throughout the country before arriving at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., and on the auction block.
The balls were displayed at the LLWS and the final auctions ended on Monday. The most expensive ball was autographed by St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols, which went for $626 after 34 bids, while four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon‘s baseball came in second at $405 after 42 bids. Among the celebrities, a baseball signed by High School Musical‘s Efron led the way at $400.50 after 31 bids while former N’SYNC member JC Chasez ($355) and former Boston Red Sox star Fred Lynn ($355) rounded out the top five.
See more results — and all of the baseballs — after the jump.
Milano’s baseball sold for $200.50 after 32 bids, while Barrymore sold for $146.50.
Others of note:
— 61*‘s Billy Crystal, $227.50.
— Field of Dreams‘ James Earl Jones, $224.50.
— Major League‘s Charlie Sheen, $177.50
— Tampa Bay Rays slugger Evan Longoria, $250.
— Subway spokeman and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, $315.
— Subway spokesman Jared Fogle, $81.
— Adrian Grenier of Entourage, $261.
— Milo Ventimiglia of Heroes, $86.
— The Kardashian sisters, $205.
See nearly all of the baseballs below. Can you identify who signed them? (The unsigned one is Larry King‘s — the art was too cool to pass up.)
To see more of the baseballs and learn more about the program, click here.
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Chris Olds has collected sports cards and memorabilia since 1987. Before coming to Beckett Media, he wrote about the hobby for the Orlando Sentinel on his blog, SportsStuff, and for the San Antonio Express-News and The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News. Do you have a comment, question or idea? Send e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.
[…] I wish I had known about this earlier. That way you could have bid on one of these balls before it closed up this past Monday. Little League Baseball and Softball, along with Subway, had a auction featuring painted balls designed by Little League players and then signed by celebrities. See the website with some details and all of the balls here. Included was our very own Alyssa Milano. Her ball is below. Orel Hershiser and Juan Pierre also participated. (Hat Tip: Beckett) […]