Well-worn ticket stub to what seemed, in May of 1995, to be a nondescript game between two struggling teams.  The Seattle Mariners, in last place in the AL West with a 16-13 record, hosted the New York Yankees, a game under .500 at 13-14, and searching for answers. Injuries to middle infielders Pat Kelly and Tony Fernandez forced the Yankees to designate veteran infielder Kevin Elster for assignment and promote their hot-hitting minor league shortstop and 1992 first round pick Derek Jeter to the big club. In reporting the early callup, the New York Daily News reported "With a .308 average and 77 stolen bases in just over three seasons, Jeter is expected to be a star."

Indeed.

Though Jeter played just 15 games in 1995, he, of course, went on to play in 20 seasons, finishing his career with a .310 batting average and 3,465 lifetime hits, missing unanimous selection to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot by just one vote.  On that nondescript day in 1995, however, Jeter went 0-for-5, the newsworthy callup relegated to an afterthought in the Yankees 8-7 extra inning loss.

The stub has been graded POOR 1 by PSA with obvious signs of wear, clearly a stub that attended the Seattle Kingdome that day in the pocket of a fan, but saved afterward. Nearly 30 years later, the stub carries extreme importance, one of the most significant debut ticket stubs of any modern Hall of Famer.  Despite the grade, the stub presents well in the holder, with obvious creasing and waviness but retaining the bulk of its color.