link titleThe term sports memorabilia usually refers to anything that can be directly connected to a sports event or personality. Many people collect these items.

Sports memorabilia can either have a sentimental or monetary value to the collector. Many items used by famous sports stars or at a famous event have been sold for many dollars at auctions such as Sotheby's and others. The ball that Mark McGwire hit for home-run number 62 in 1998, for example, was sold for over 1 million dollars. The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... PR shot of Sothebys New York, from auditions for The Apprentice 2 Sothebys is a noted auction house. ... Mark McGwire hits a home run during his last Major League season in 2001 Mark David McGwire (born October 1, 1963 in Pomona, California) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1986 through 2001. ... 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

It could be said that collecting sports memorabilia goes back to the first decades of the 20th century, when many people would collect baseballs from baseball games and many asked Babe Ruth for autographs. As years passed and many other sports stars joined their sports, memorabilia collectors also began to broaden their horizons. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Baseball is a team sport, in which a fist-sized ball is thrown by a defensive player called a pitcher and hit by an offensive player called a batter with a round, smooth stick called a bat. ... George Herman Ruth, (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948), better known as Babe Ruth and also commonly known by the nicknames The Bambino and The Sultan of Swat, was an American baseball player and United States national icon. ... Autograph of king Charles XII of Sweden (1682-1718). ...

When the NBA, MLB, NHL and NFL began selling their jerseys in stores during the 1980s, game used jerseys also became a hot item among sports memorabilia collectors. Former NBA player Dennis Rodman was famous for taking off his jerseys and throwing them to the stands after his games were over. Michael Jordan is probably the basketball player whose memorabilia is most sought after by collectors. The National Basketball Association of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the NBA, is the premier professional basketball league in North America. ... Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in North America. ... The modernized NHL shield logo, debuting in 2005. ... NFL logo The National Football League (NFL) is the largest and most popular professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities. ... // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 60s and 70s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961 in Trenton, New Jersey) was a professional basketball player mostly known for his controversial antics on and off the court and as a top defender and rebounder. ... Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York) is a former National Basketball Association player, and is considered by many the greatest basketball player of all time. ... Basketball is very popular in U.S. colleges. ...

Collectors also like to look back in time when they are finding sports memorabilia. Items such as John L. Sullivan and Jack Johnson fight posters have sold well before. There is also a boxing glove signed by Sullivan, Johnson, Ruth and many Hollywood stars and American Presidents that has sold for a lot of money before. This glove is now on display at the International Boxing Hall of Fame. For the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, see John L. Sullivan (U.S. Navy). ... John Arthur Johnson (March 31, 1878 - June 10, 1946), better known as Jack Johnson and nicknamed the Galveston Giant, was an American boxer and arguably the best heavyweight of his generation. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... ... The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. ...

In boxing, one of the most prominent sports memorabilia collectors is Bob Pace, who sells everything from fight posters to autographs. Pace has been in business since 1984. 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Another sports star who is very requested by memorabilia collectors is Pete Rose. Many items used by the king of hits have sold for good prices, including one of his convertible cars, which was obtained by a collector who concentrates on Pete Rose memorabilia only. An article about this was published in a sports magazine. Peter Edward Rose, Sr. ...

Adding an autograph to an item used in a particular game or by a particular star can increase or decrease the value of the item, depending on the situation.

For the collectors who only see their memorabilia as having a sentimental value, they might look at it as a childhood memory, or as an important moment of life shared with his or her favorite star or team.

External Links

Sports Memorabilia - Authentic Sports Collectibles Offers genuine autographed sports memorabilia, such as balls, gloves, bats, helmets, baseball and other sport collectibles.