Sunday, April 29, 2012

Ted Williams' MVP plaque sells for $300K

Baseball fan Moriah Park, of Orwell, Vt., right, views items once owned by Boston Red Sox's Ted Williams in a display case at Fenway Park during an auction preview of items once owned by Williams, Wednesday, April 25, 2012, in Boston. Fans are able to see hundreds of items during the preview which is to last through Friday. The auction is to be held Saturday, April 28. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

(AP) BOSTON - A 1949 MVP plaque owned by Boston Red Sox slugger Ted Williams has sold for nearly $300,000 at the first major auction of his sports, military and personal memorabilia.

Nearly 800 items sold Saturday at the auction at Fenway Park. Among them was a baseball that Babe Ruth signed for Williams, which sold for $195,500. Hunt Auctions Inc. says that sale set a record for a baseball signed by Ruth that wasn't used in a game.

Williams' 1957 Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Award for outstanding batting achievement sold for $230,000. An 8-year-old Texas boy and his parents were the winning bidders on Williams' 1957 Silver Bat award, which sold for nearly $200,000.

The auction coincided with the 10th anniversary of Williams' death at 83 and Fenway Park's 100th anniversary.