NBA star Vin Baker's gold medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics has topped Grey Flannel Auctions' Hall of Fame Catalog Auction, which ended on August 20.
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The USA team went undefeated in the event, winning all of their eight games. With letters of authenticity from Baker, it sold for $56,500.
Vin Baker was a promising NBA star who appeared in four consecutive All-Star games, before his career was cut short due to alcoholism. With his house recently repossessed, he then joined the team assembled by Dennis Rodman to play in North Korea.
The second highest bids of the sale went to Sparky Anderson's Hall of Fame induction plaque. Anderson, whose career as a manager included two titles with the Cincinnati Reds and another with the Detroit Tigers, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 and passed away in 2010.
The plaque, a superb reminder of his legendary career - ranked third in terms of game wins - made $21,296.
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Historical memorabilia was represented by a game-used bat from Tris Speaker, aka The Grey Eagle, who played 22 seasons throughout the 1920s and 1930s with the Red Sox and Indians.
Another Hall of Famer, Speaker was one of the first dozen players to be inducted, and is still the all-time Major League leader in doubles with 792. The bat shows evidence of heavy use, and sold for $20,897.
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