Sports history from the mountain top ends up on the auction block

WINDHAM — Here’s your chance to own a piece of baseball history that hits close to home.

An envelope signed by New York Yankee legend Lou Gehrig, that is postmarked from Windham, NY, is on the auction block at Lelands.

The lot description reads:

“Just like the scene in Miracle on 34th street when the letters addressed to Santa Claus were sent to the courthouse, this letter was sent simply to “Baseball’s Iron Man” and amazingly got to its intended recipient, Lou Gehrig. The Iron Horse did indeed sign the envelope, which reads “Slit Envelope” on the back.

“Gehrig’s signature on the envelope rates a perfect 10 PSA autograph grade, and the envelope has been slabbed by PSA. Comes with a letter from JSA as well. It reads “Best Wishes John, Lou Gehrig” in the top left corner. An exceptional specimen for any Johns out there and even those that can’t make the spurious claim that the message was actually intended for them.”

Gehrig played 2,130 consecutive games during his Major League Baseball career, a mark that stood for 56 years until it was broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995.

Gehrig’s consecutive games streak ended when he voluntarily pulled himself from the lineup while he was dealing with what is now known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The Hall of Famer played all 17 of his professional baseball years with the Yankees, racking up 2,721 hits, 493 home runs and a .340 career batting average from 1923-39. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1939 during a special election.

The postmark on the envelope is dated 1937. Gehrig died in 1941.

The auction started at $1,000 and runs online until Aug. 17 at 10 p.m. Lelands chairman and founder Josh Evans said this Lou Gehrig signed envelope should sell for at least $10,000.

Auction: https://auction.lelands.com/bids/bidplace?itemid=88579