Clyde King was a baseball lifer, with a career that lasted nearly 70 years, from his time as a Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher in the 1940s to his position in the New York Yankees' front office that he held until his passing.  His career also spanned the history of baseball's integration - he witnessed the debut of Jackie Robinson up close as a member of the 1947 Dodgers, he was the manager of the 1974 Atlanta Braves and saw Hank Aaron break Babe Ruth's record. As the pitching coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1965-67, he shared a clubhouse with the great Hall of Famer and humanitarian Roberto Clemente, and for decades, this signed and inscribed baseball was one of his prized possessions.

The ball is a Spalding official National League (Giles) baseball, in outstanding condition with some minor staining and marks here and there, simply a result of having been displayed for so long.  Clemente applied a large, bold signature on the sweet spot, and capped it off with a personalized inscription on the east panel, which reads:

  To Clyde

  A very nice person and a Great Coach.  Best Wishes

The signature is large, the inscription clear and legible, but both do exhibit the kind of fading that comes with years of display. The ink application is uniform and clear, still worthy of display, likely a 5 or 6 on a ten scale. The provenance here is key, as is the sentiment of a baseball lifer retaining such a memento for decades, a player who was one of the legendary good guys, well-respected and universally admired, treasuring a signed baseball from a player with whom he crossed paths. Impeccable provenance, a signed and thoughtfully inscribed baseball from one of the most important figures ever to play the game. Full LOA from James Spence Authentication.