When a legendary Notre Dame coach penned a letter to a high school coach in 1916, he probably never imagined it would stay in the same family for more than a century—or that it would anchor a major sports auction in a new state. That remarkable piece of sports history is now hitting the block.
Grant Zahajko Auctions, fresh off a relocation from Davenport, Washington—where the company operated for over a decade—will host a Sports Cards & Memorabilia auction from its new gallery home in Mesquite, Nevada on Wednesday, October 28. The event, held entirely online, features more than 400 lots of rare and highly desirable sports collectibles. The firm’s new address is 1624 Riverstone Bend, Unit 604 in Mesquite.
The most talked-about item in the sale is an important Knute Rockne three-page handwritten letter that includes diagrammed plays and the original envelope addressed in Rockne’s own hand. Rockne, the legendary football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame, led the Fighting Irish for 13 seasons, racking up over 100 wins and three national championships. The letter was penned in 1916 after a high school coach asked for some plays, as the consigning family’s letter of provenance explains. It has remained in that same family for over 100 years. In the letter, Rockne notes that the plays Notre Dame runs would be too complex for high schoolers—then diagrams a few anyway. He signs it “Rock.” The lot also includes a letter of authenticity from Beckett Authenticating Services, and carries an estimate of $15,000-$20,000.
The rest of the auction reads like a sports memorabilia collector’s dream. It features rare estate sports cards, including 1933 Goudey baseball cards discovered in an estate earlier this year and only recently graded. There are also vintage sports magazines that have just been graded, some of which represent the highest grade known for that issue, with none higher recorded.
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig make multiple appearances throughout the sale. A Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey #149 card, graded PSA 3, carries an estimate of $14,000-$18,000. A Lou Gehrig 1933 Goudey #92 card, graded PSA 2, is expected to bring $3,500-$4,500. Authentic government postcards from 1935—one signed by Lou Gehrig (Auto Grade 10, estimate: $4,000-$6,000) and another signed by Babe Ruth (Auto Grade 8, estimate: $3,500-$4,500)—are both authenticated and encapsulated by Beckett. A Lou Gehrig cut signature with LOA should fetch $2,000-$3,000.
Basketball collectors have plenty to chase as well. A Michael Jordan 1998 Fleer Tradition #6 Electrifying card, graded PSA 8, is estimated at $4,000-$6,000. A 1998 Skybox Premium That’s Jam 4 Shaquille O’Neal card, graded PSA 9, is expected to sell for $3,500-$4,500. A Kobe Bryant 1996 Skybox E-X2000 Star Date 2000 #3 card, graded PSA 8, carries an estimate of $2,500-$3,000. A Kobe Bryant 1998 Skybox Premium Soul of the Game 6 card, graded PSA 8, is estimated at $1,600-$2,000. A 1996 Ultra Scoring Kings 4 Michael Jordan card, graded PSA 6, should bring $800-$1,200.
Boxing fans won’t be disappointed. An 8 inch by 10 inch black-and-white photograph from Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier’s legendary Fight of the Century in 1971, signed by both fighters and showing Ali dodging one of Frazier’s devastating left hooks, includes a full letter of authenticity from Steve Grad Authentication. Its estimate is $500-$800. Meanwhile, a 5 inch by 4 ½ inch black and white photograph signed by Joe Louis, depicting the champ in a jacket and bow tie carrying a bag of groceries, carries an estimate of $500-$700.
Back on the baseball diamond, a Mickey Cochrane single-signed baseball, inscribed by the Hall of Fame catcher while on a hunting trip (“Thanks for a great time, Mickey Cochrane, Tigers, 1935”), comes with a photo of the hunters included in the lot. Its estimate is $2,000-$3,000. Authentic government postcards postmarked 1935, one signed by Honus Wagner and Arky Vaughn (Auto Grade 9, estimate: $2,000-$3,000) and another signed by Ty Cobb (Auto Grade 8, estimate: $1,200-$1,600), are both authenticated and encapsulated by Beckett Authentication Services.
Rounding out the highlights: a 1933 Goudey #223 Dizzy Dean baseball card, graded PSA Very Good (estimate: $900-$1,200); a copy of Dell Sports Magazine from 1959 with Mickey Mantle on the cover, population one with none higher, graded CGC 9.2 (estimate: $400-$600); and a 1975 George Brett O-Pee-Chee baseball card #228, graded PSA 6 (estimate: $600-$800).
The most intriguing lot in the sale is a Knute Rockne three-page handwritten letter with diagrammed plays and the original envelope addressed in Rockne’s hand.
The auction begins at 9am Pacific Time. A preview will be held live at the Mesquite gallery by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, call 702-552-9640 or email info@gzauctions.com.
Internet bidding is available on LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, Auctionzip.com, Connect.Invaluable.com (Grant Zahajko’s branded version of Invaluable), and bid.gzauctions.com, plus direct bidding on the redesigned website, gzauctions.com.
Grant Zahajko Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To inquire about consigning a single item, an estate, or a collection, call 702-552-9640 or email grant@gzauctions.com. For more information about the Sports Cards & Memorabilia auction on Wednesday, October 28, at 9am Pacific Time, online and live at the new Mesquite, Nevada gallery, visit gzauctions.com. Updates are posted often.
Why it matters: This auction signals Grant Zahajko Auctions’ fresh start in Nevada after a decade in Washington, and the inclusion of a century-old Knute Rockne letter—never before sold—underscores the kind of rare, family-held treasures that still surface in the sports collectibles market. For collectors, it’s a reminder that the most compelling lots often come with stories that transcend the cards and photographs themselves.
Gina Zahajko
Grant Zahajko Auctions
+ +1 702-552-9640
