CHESTERLAND, Ohio — After an initial teaser auction in January, baseball fans can take a trip back in time and grab some personal mementos from the greatest pitcher in Cleveland baseball history.
The majority of items obtained from the Feller Estate will head up for auction this weekend through Premier Auction Galleries in Chesterland.
An initial auction earlier this year featured a couple hundred items, including the oldest known Bob Feller signature, and those items fetched more than $10,000 in total.
This upcoming auction will feature thousands of items and the remainder of the estate.
“Bob kept everything,” said Josh Siegel with Premier Auction Galleries. “I don’t know if I've ever had a collection like this. It's been kind of fun.”
Of all the items set to go up for auction, the one attracting the a lot of interest is Bob Feller’s executive desk from his office.
“If you want a real piece of Bob, the biggest piece we have would be the desk,” Jesse Matthews, owner of Premier Auction Galleries, said. “It is a massive, massive desk.”
And while much of the focus shines on Bob Feller's items, Matthews told News 5 he expects plenty of attention to go toward Feller's wife and her vast collection of items including purses and jewelry.
"Anywhere from general household, antique collectibles, sterling silver," Matthews added. "And his wife Anne was an avid needle and cross-stitcher."
The legendary pitcher died in 2010 at the age of 92, while his widow Anne stayed in Northeast Ohio for another decade until her death in 2021.
News 5 previously reported when Feller’s home in Gates Mills hit the market last year.
Feller started pitching for the Cleveland Indians at the age of 17 and took the mound from 1936 to 1941, served in the United States Navy for four years, and then returned to pitching from 1945 to 1956 in Cleveland.
Over his career, Feller pitched in 3,827 innings, notching a 3.25 ERA, 44 shutouts, 279 complete games, and a win-loss record of 266-162.
In 1956, Cleveland retired Feller's number 19. In 1962, Feller was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot appearance.
One of the few athletes who in life was larger than the statue that honors him outside of Progressive Field.
“For us, it's been a great opportunity to kind of rehash memories and make connections with fans,” Siegel said. “We've seen collectors and dealers and fans that we haven't seen in maybe 10 or 15 years.”
Whether you’re looking for a first-pitch baseball, or a memento from this World War II veteran, who volunteered for the Navy right after the attack on Pearl Harbor, there’s a little bit of everything from the precious past of one of Cleveland’s greatest pitchers.
“It’s almost like a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Siegel said.
For those wondering about certain artifacts, it is worth pointing out that the Cleveland Guardians organization confirmed Premier Auction Gallery’s claims that both the Guardians organization and the Baseball Hall of Fame went through items in Feller’s home before any went up for auction, to make sure there wasn’t any overlooked priceless mementos worth displaying for all fans.
In addition to sports memorabilia, households items, furniture, and items belonging to Anne Feller are scheduled to go up for auction.
To bid on any of the items currently up for auction, click here.
The online auction is scheduled to begin Friday, March 25 and run through the weekend during several online sessions.
