His video game company having collapsed into bankruptcy in 2012, professional baseball player Curt Schilling is to auction off his famed bloody sock on February 23.
The game-worn sock has been given a $100,000+ estimate ahead of Heritage Auctions' online sale, which will include a live session on February 23. The figure has been described as "conservative" by Chris Ivy, director of sports at the Texas auctioneer.
The bloody sock was worn by the injured Red Sox pitcher during his unforgettable performance in game two of the 2004 World Series against St Louis. Its provenance could not be better as it has been consigned by Schilling himself.
It is one of two bloody socks the pitcher wore during the Red Sox's famous run to the World Series championship. The other, from game six of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees is believed to have been thrown away by Schilling at Yankees Stadium.
 Schilling's sock is involved in a significant baseball narrative relating to the Red Sox team |
Television coverage focused very closely on the growing red stain spreading across Schilling's sock, and it grew into a symbol of endurance and courage among Red Sox fans.
Chris Ivy commented: "The historic Red Sox relic serves as the physical incarnation of the exorcism of 'The Curse of the Bambino' just as the 'Buckner Ball' is the curse's embodiment.
"Since we sold the 'Buckner Ball' in April of 2012 for almost $420,000, we thought this was a great opportunity to balance the scales and give collectors a chance to decide which moment is worth more."
The infamous Buckner Ball beat its $100,000 estimate by a whopping 318.2% in April. It was the very ball first baseman, Bill Buckner, allowed to slip through his legs during the extra innings of game six of the Red Sox's 1986 series against the New York Mets, enabling Ray Knight to score the winning run for the Mets.
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