THE STEVE GARVEY COLLECTION

There is a highly respected school of thought in the discussion of the voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame that places a particular emphasis on a player who was the best at his position in his league for an extended period. That nicely encapsulates the career of Steve Garvey who was a 10-time National League All-Star, an MVP and a four-time Gold Glove winner, with much of his heyday coinciding with the return of the Los Angeles Dodgers to the top of the heap in the Senior Circuit. Garvey was the heart and soul of a standout Dodger club in the 1970’s that boasted an infield (Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey) that stayed together for nearly nine seasons, the longest such span in history. Continuity and consistency were the hallmark of Garvey’s 19-year career that included a five-year sojourn to San Diego that featured his fifth and final World Series appearance and a second National League Championship Series MVP Award. It’s hard to imagine the kind of hoopla – and moola – that would surround a player today who would average more than 200 hits and 100 RBI for seven consecutive years. From September of 1975 to July of 1983, he played in 1,207 consecutive games, an iron man feat that ranks fourth on the all-time list. With rugged good looks and an imposing physique, he was a major league star with matinee idol charisma, playing in the most star-crazy city in all of sports. Toss in 150 homers over that seven year span and a postseason batting record that ranks among the best ever and it’s easy to conjure images of Garvey’s handsome face immortalized on a plaque in Cooperstown.

That could well become reality with Veterans Committee voting, which has historically been amenable to players with the kind of ironclad numbers posted here. No less of an august baseball duo than writers Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included Garvey in their seminal work The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. Few, among the legions of California Baseball fans who followed “The Garv” in the 1970’s-80’s, needs convincing of his greatness. SCP Auctions is proud to present The Steve Garvey Collection. The following lots (#513-584) represent some of the most significant awards and mementos accumulated throughout his storied baseball career.

Regarding the auction of his personal memorabilia collection Garvey states, “I have been blessed to win a number of awards and be involved in numerous historical baseball moments over my 20-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. I feel it’s time to share several pieces of history with those fans who inspired me to those wonderful achievements.”