The Real Reggie Jackson Sues Las Vegas Company to Stop Auction of His Stuff
by Reynolds
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posted Jul 6 2011 3:28PM
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Reggie Jackson is suing the Las Vegas based company American Memorabilia in an effort to regain some of his personal keepsakes that are being auctioned off.
Jackson's lawsuit alleges that his stepmother and two others are providing a New York Yankees watch commemorating his 400th homerun and a near-replica of his 1977 World Series ring, against his wishes to the auction house.
Attorneys for Jackson filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Nevada against American Memorabilia Inc. and others on Tuesday.
The replica World Series ring is of particular interest in regards to the lawsuit as American Memorabilia is claiming that the ring is actually the authentic 1977 World Series ring given to Jackson by the Yankees.
The auction house's website claims to have an "authentication letter" from the Jackson family for both pieces of jewelery named in the suit.
Jackson's lawsuit contends that the ring is a replica because Jackson still owns the authentic 1977 Yankee championship ring and that he had two replica rings made for his father by noted ringmaker Balfour.
Your probably asking yourself why Reggie had two replica rings made for his father.
Well, as it turns out, Jackson's father lost the first one and the second one was a replacement.
The second replica ring was returned to Jackson's side of the family after his father's death in 1994 and then the first replica ring was found and is now being auctioned off, according to Jackson.
The lawsuit states what Reggie Jackson's wishes for the jewelery are,
“Mr. Jackson allowed his father, Martinez C. Jackson, to display both of these unique and valuable pieces of jewelry during his lifetime. Mr. Jackson intended that both of these pieces remain as family heirlooms and that they would each be returned upon his father’s death. Mr. Jackson’s father agreed with this intent.”
The Yankee legend does not know why his stepmother and the others are auctioning off the jewelery now since they've had posession of it since his gather's death in 1994.
“That’s the $64,000 question,” Jackson said without a hint of irony.
The goals of Tuesday's lawsuit are to stop the auction and attain a declaration that the prized Yankee memorabilia belongs to Jackson.
In a related story, Jackson's 1973 World Series MVP award from his time in Oakland is being auctioned off and nobody cares.
That last sentence was not intended to be a factual statement.
Tip via Las Vegas Sun
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