Sports Ephemera and Collectibles
Just about every organized sport in America has been worthy of a program of two. They were needed to help identify the players. They helped sell products. They were tangible evidence that one particular fan on one particular day was right.
It is no small wonder that they remain a leading item in the field of sports memorabilia. The selection is vast, running from automobile racing to professional wrestling.
Moreover, even a single sport, such as major league baseball, can offer a major range of programs from regular games and All-Star games to the historic World Series.
The actual program was more than merely paper. It is a quasi-official record of that particular sporting event, usually including the participants and the actual date.
Professional baseball had "official" programs as early as the middle of the 19th century. Often, they were sold to fans for a few cents and bore a smattering of advertising.
 1974 BASEBALL ALL STAR GAME PROGRAM THREE RIVERS STADIUM JULY 23 1974 CLEAN $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 22h 25m |
 Vintage 1958 New York Yankees vs Chicago Baseball Official Program Scorecard $24.99 Time Remaining: 27d 23h 53m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 Buy It Now |
 1974 BASEBALL ALL STAR GAME PROGRAM THREE RIVERS STADIUM JULY 23 1974 CLEAN $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 22h 25m |
In recent years, an 1894 National League program was offered at a Leland's sports memorabilia auction.
It featured the Chicago League Club versus the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. That year in Chicago, attending fans paid 5 cents for such a program.
Today, collectors would pay several hundred dollars for such a surviving program.
An even bigger sports program prized from the latter 19th century would be one featuring heavyweight boxing greats John L. Sullivan and James "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. The two met for a championship bout in 1892 in New Orleans.
The impressive program of the event featured the Olympic Club on its cover - where the event was staged. Corbett made history knocking out the heavily favored Sullivan.
An existing program today would be worth thousands of dollars.
Still another treasured boxing-related program would be the 1908 heavyweight bout involving the legendary Jack Johnson and Tommy Burns. The fight was held at the Stadium in Sydney, Australia.
 Vintage 1930 1940 Boxing Programs Score Cards Clippings Christoforidas Card $9.99 Time Remaining: 4d 19h 17m |
 1955 NCAA Boxing Championship Programs 3 Finals Semi Final and Quarter Final $42.46 Time Remaining: 4d 20h 53m Buy It Now for only: $42.46 Buy It Now |
 18 Vintage Boxing Wrestling Referee Programs photo Magazine Originals 1962 1966 $1,435.00 Time Remaining: 16d 17h 15m Buy It Now for only: $1,435.00 Buy It Now |
The program itself was a hefty 83 pages and depicted the two fighters on the cover. Even with minor staining and spots, it would command a "hefty" price currently.
Other early 20th century sports programs of merit might include the 1912 Olympic Games program which - on page 12 - listed a relatively unknown American participant named Jim Thorpe; or a World Series program from that same year featuring the New York Giants at the Boston Red Sox in New York City. The original program price was 10 cents.
The price of the program was still 10 cents at game five of the 1920 World Series. Played in Cleveland, the grand baseball game was witness to three historic events.
Elmer Smith hit the first grand slam in World Series history. Jim Bagby became the firs pitcher ever to hit a World Series home run and Bill Wambsganass completed the onel and only unassisted triple play in World Series history.
Such a program, even with some wear, netted over $3,000 at a Leland's auction in recent years.
 Original 1934 Detroit Tigers World Series Official Program Navin Field Vintage $102.50 (13 Bids) Time Remaining: 23h 28m |
 VINTAGE 1943 YANKEES WORLD SERIES PROGRAM VS ST LOUIS $99.99 Time Remaining: 17d 20h 8m Buy It Now for only: $99.99 Buy It Now |
 Vintage 1984 World Series Detroit Tigers Budweiser sign $0.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 22h 46m |
In July of 1921, an official program of the International Heavyweight Championship fight between Jack Dempsey and George Carpenter sold for 50 cents. Currently, the over-sized program depicting both fighters would command several hundred dollars.
Collectors are fond of even more recent programs with interesting contents. A 1956 World Series baseball program, for example, can be very appealing. It featured a classic battle between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Inside are the names and pictures of eventual Hall of Fame selections such as Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella.
In recent years, a 1973 New York Yankees Old-Timers Game sports program attracted attention at a Leland's auction.
It contained a stunning array of signatures including Joe DiMaggio, Casey Stengel and Thurman Munson. The seller even included a letter of authenticity. It sold for several hundred dollars. Programs can also be amassed in colorful groups for potential collectors.
In college football, the never-ending variety of bowl games from the Allstate BSC championship to the Texas Bowl can be helpful. Additionally, many of the college bowls have undergone mane changes over the years, with traditional names obscured by commercial sponsorships.
 Vtg 1951 TOUGALOO bulldogs JACKSON COLLEGE Tigers football program Mississippi $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1h 17m |
 1984 ILLINOIS AT OHIO STATE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROGRAM EX MINT $9.99 Time Remaining: 29d 3h 23m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 Buy It Now |
 SPRINGFIELD VS RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROGRAM OCT 29 1955 $4.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 3h 45m |
Tips about sports programs:
Programs from events where a record was broken or a major incident occurred are important.
Groupings of sports programs such as World Series baseball games or college football bowl games make interesting and marketable collections.
Get it signed. Most any sports program with the signatures of the participants, officials or even significant fans can add measurably to its fascination and value.
Do your homework. A seemingly ordinary sports program may contain the name of an unheralded player who later became world famous. Or perhaps that particular event set a sports record for scoring or event endurance. Research can pay off.
Consider the artwork. A noted artist may have contributed to the cover or the inside illustrations of vintage sports programs. Another possibility is the illustration of a long-gone auditorium, stadium or other sports venue.
Source: Robert Reed, Farm and Dairy, January 31, 2008
