The baseball that Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson tossed to first baseman Freddie Freeman for the final out of the World Series could be worth as much as $250,000, an appraiser told Sportico Tuesday night.
Yuli Gurriel of the Houston Astros grounded to Swanson at Minute Maid Park, sealing the Braves’ 7-0 victory to capture the World Series in six games. After the game Freeman said he would give the momentous ball to Atlanta manager Brian Snitker.
“He means so much to this organization,” Freeman said.
It was Atlanta’s first championship since 1995, but first in a full season since 1957, when the club was still in Milwaukee. It moved to Atlanta in 1966.
The Boston/Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves have now won the World Series four times in franchise history. The other was 1914, when the team still played in Boston.
“It’s similar to the Dodgers last year—in the $250,000 range,” Ken Goldin of Goldin Auctions said about the ball used to get the final out. “What’s interesting is that it’s the first full season championship for the Braves in Atlanta because 1995 was strike-shortened season. And like last year’s COVID-shortened season, by some may be discounted.
“No disputing this one and an amazing accomplishment without their best player.”
Goldin is referring to Ronald Acuna Jr., the right fielder who tore his right ACL just prior to the All-Star break and missed the remainder of the season.
The 1995 season was shortened to 144 games because of the strike that ended the previous campaign in August and caused the cancellation of those playoffs and World Series. The owners tried to break the union by using replacement players during spring training of 1995 until the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Major League Baseball’s tactics were illegal.
Last year’s 162-game season was shortened to 60 games because of the pandemic. The postseason was played in various bubbles without fans until the World Series.
The Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games at Globe Life Field in front of about 11,500 a game.
The last out of that series was recorded when Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias whiffed Tampa Bay’s Willy Adames looking.
