77-year old William Mazeroski played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1956 to 1972, as one of the greatest second-basemen to play the game, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. Therefore, it isn’t difficult to believe that his memorabilia was sold for more than $1.7 million at the 10th Annual Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Live Auction in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday, November 9, 2013. The auction was also hosted in partnership with Hunt Auctions, which is a company dedicated toward sports memorabilia auctions throughout the country. “Bill’s legacy as one of the greatest players in Pittsburgh Pirates history coupled with the iconic status of his legendary 1960 World Series home run served as an appropriate foundation for the incredible prices realized at the auction,” said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions based in Exton, Pennsylvania.

According to Hunt Auctions, the collection took in $1.7 million, with Mazeroski’s uniform raking in $632,500. Mazeroski was wearing the uniform when he hit a walk-off home-run in the bottom of the ninth inning for the Pirates, in the final game of the 1960 World Series. The Pirates won the championship against the New York Yankees. Mazeroski and the Pirates also won a championship against the Baltimore Orioles in 1971 during another seven-game series.

At the auction, his bronzed bat was sold for $322,000 and a set of his bronzed cleats for $97,750, both also used during the last game of the 1960 World Series. Mazeroski also received eight Gold Glove Awards in 1958, 1960, 1961, and from 1963 through 1967, six of which were sold for a total of $193,775. Other items that were auctioned include a bat given to Mazeroski by Roberto Clemente and his 1960 Bath Ruth Award, for $86,250 and $41,400 respectively.

“I was completely overwhelmed and humbled by the auction of my sports memorabilia collection that I witnessed. I had no idea the tremendous value of these treasures I have held on to all these years,” said Mazeroski.

There was one other time when a home-run ended a World Series, but Mazeroski’s home-run is the only one to win a World Series in Game Seven.

Image via Wikimedia Commons