Steve Carltons Final MLB Game Used/Worn Fielding Glove Glove could be in Hall of Fame. Glove & LOA from Lefty. Start Price USD 9,995.00 Current Price USD 9,995.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, August 21, 2008 End Time Sunday, August 31, 2008 Location Tucson, Arizona See more about 'Steve Carltons Final MLB Game Used/Worn Fielding Glove' Description This is not your typical eBay auction. I have had this item in my personal collection for several years. It is Steve "Lefty" Carlton's final MLB game used/worn fielder's glove. This glove was worn by Lefty during his final year in the majors in 1988 when he accrued his final statistics. The glove came from Lefty along with an LOA signed by him stating that he used this glove his final years as a Minnesota Twin in 1987/1988. Lefty consigned this glove and several of his other top items that he had kept to Mastro several years ago now. I have the original catalog from Mastro & Steinbech (July 1998 auction) that shows the item and presents it as part of Lefty's personal collection. I will provide color photocopies/reprints of all relevant pages to the buyer. I have met Lefty many times. He has always been gracious and personable, but he never showed the excitement that he did the day I brought him this glove. I asked him if he would sign it for me and he did so beautifully. Without asking him, he signed his name with the inscription "Final M.L. Glove" (for Final Major League Glove). I have some large expenditures coming up, so I am going to part with this special item. Lefty signed a ball for me when I was a kid (I grew up just outside of Philadelphia) and has always been my favorite. This is an item I have truly treasured. I further confirmed that this was Lefty's glove with Denny Esken, the world's premiere game used glove expert and authenticator. There are several educated, highly respectable game used authenticators in the hobby. But every single one of them will tell you that when it comes to gloves, Denny is in a class by himself. I became friends with Denny several years ago and he has very kindly and selflessly helped me to authenticate and date certain high-end gloves in which I have had interest. His ability to nail a glove down to the specific date that it was manufactured and issued to the player is uncanny. Denny and I talked about this glove at length before I purchased it. He confirmed that the glove was manufactured by Rawlings in October, 1987, and was issued to Carlton prior to the 1988 season. It is a truly amazing glove, with tons of game use. In addition, when the glove was issued to Steve, he wrote "Lefty" and his uniform number A38" (38 the number he wore for the Twins) in black marker on the glove in order to identify it as his own over he course of the season. These characteristics make the glove even more attractive on display. These markings, in Lefty's own hand, have faded a little, of course, as they were placed on the glove over 20 years ago now, and had to go through the wear and tear that Lefty put to this glove during his final ML season. The glove is a tan/brown Rawlings Gold Glove Series PRO 76-VC model that was specially designed for Carlton and has the large velcro leather strap across the back of the hand (this is a trademark for Carlton=s gloves - every one I have owned and seen has had it, which is an important point as I had one of the larger Steve Carlton game used collections going at one point ... I don't collect much in terms of game used equipment these days and this is the only item of Steve's that I have held on to). The glove has been kept perfectly preserved, carefully wrapped and maintained. It has always been in an air-tight bag when in my possession. Along with the glove and the LOA from Steve himself, I have photos of Carlton using the glove. Between the in-action photos, the color reprints of the original Mastro & Steinbech catalog showing that it was consigned by Steve himself (along with his other top items), Lefty's own hand-signed LOA, and Lefty's inscription on the glove, I'm not sure how the documentation on this glove could be any better or more complete. The glove=s authenticity has literally been confirmed by Carlton himself *twice* as well as by the most knowledgeable glove expert in the hobby, Denny Esken. In this day and age of questionable game used items and shady dealings, I hope everyone will appreciate how special this piece is, and how rock solid its authenticity and provenance are. I have taken great pleasure and pride in owning this special glove. I hope the buyer will have the same sense of enjoyment as I have had. The phrase "once in a lifetime" is often overused, but not in this case. Truly, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity ... the kind of item that the Hall of Fame would love to have in its possession. This auction is solely for Lefty's final MLB game used fielding glove. I have offered a few others photos below as I will be listing other items from my collection on eBay in the next week or two and these photos will give you an idea as to what is coming. I have already listed several eBay auctions this week, but I have many, many more to go. I have only collected the very best of items. No one is pickier than I when it comes to adding an item to my personal collection. I will only ship this item fully insured. This is not an item on which to take a chance. I accept paypal, personal checks, bank checks, money orders, cashier's checks, and credit cards via paypal (I do not take credit card payments outside of paypal). If you ship via certified funds (bank check) or paypal, I will ship immediately. All other forms of payment must wait to clear (sometimes up to 10 business days, including money orders). International bidders and buyers are welcome, but if you are outside the United States, it is your responsibility to identify the means by which this item may be shipped to you fully insured. International shipping and insurance varies and will be determined at the close of auction. U.S. shipping $15. Insurance will need to be added, as well, and the amount of insurance will be determined when the final price is realized. I will ship via UPS or USPS (buyer's choice). I will ship overnight for an additional charge. I do not overcharge or make one cent on shipping. Any shipping cost above $15 will be paid by me (not including insurance). If shipping is less (and in this case it certainly won't be), I refund the buyer the difference. This has always been my policy. Please see my other auctions. Please email me at gameusedequip2@hotmail.com with any questions. Please review my feedback and feel free to contact my other buyers. They will all tell you that I go to great lengths to make sure that my buyers are very happy and not just satisfied. This is a hobby, but it is one that I have been passionate about for over 30 years, and so I take it seriously. I will ship this item with the greatest of care. If you want references from top people in the hobby, please email me and I will gladly give you a list of names of folks whom you can contact about me (and you may certainly feel free to ask other folks, as well -- most top people in the hobby know me and have done business with me at one time or another). Thank you for looking. Please be respectful and submit serious, reasonable offers only. If you have zero feedback or recent negative feedback, please email me first before you use Buy It Now. Thank you and best of luck with your collecting interests. Place a Bid!