Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

We have a autographed basketball from the 1956 Olympics. My father was the trainer, and these are some of the stuff he brought back with him.

APPRAISER

Your father was the trainer for the '56 Olympics.

GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

A great team. A gold medal-winning team.

GUEST

Oh, yes.

APPRAISER

Led by Bill Russell and K.C. Jones. Here we have an original photograph of the team. Here's Bill Russell, and here's K.C. Jones.

GUEST

Oh, that's K.C.? Ok.

APPRAISER

Yep. And here's your dad right here-- the trainer. And this is pre-Celtic dynasty, before Russell joined the Celtics and created perhaps the greatest dynasty in all of sports. Here we have the original scorebook from Melbourne, Australia, 1956. Here we have it turned to the gold medal-winning game...

GUEST

Yeah, the final game

APPRAISER

of the U.S. vs. the USSR. Now, this team outscored their opponents by at least 30 points in every, single game they played. This is unheard of. They cruised to the gold medal, and we very, very rarely ever see scorebooks from the Olympics. How did this come into your dad's possession?

GUEST

Well, there was one of the gentlemen that was involved in the team-- I think he was the assistant coach-- mailed it to him, and sent him a letter, and said, "Add this to your collection. "And thanks for all your help in making a successful Olympics."

APPRAISER

Sort of a souvenir.

GUEST

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

APPRAISER

And I know we also have your dad's participation medal from the Olympics.

GUEST

Yes, I think that's what this is.

APPRAISER

And that's also a great piece, but the gem of the whole thing is this basketball. It looks brand-new.

GUEST

Yeah. Well, it's been sitting in a closet in a plastic bag for 50 years.

APPRAISER

It's amazing because, generally, when you see a basketball this age, it's crackling and, certainly if it's been autographed, the signatures are kind of worn off, but this looks like it was signed yesterday. And, of course, we have Bill Russell's signature here.

GUEST

Right there at the top.

APPRAISER

A very rare signature. He didn't like to sign, but, obviously, he... he liked your dad, and he...

GUEST

I guess.

APPRAISER

He signed a big, bold signature there. And then we have K.C.'s signature here and your dad's signature right there.

GUEST

The whole team.

APPRAISER

What an amazing ensemble. Very, very rare to find basketball memorabilia of this era. You've got Olympic collectors who would just go crazy for it. And, of course, basketball collectors. And then you've got the Celtic guys. As far as a collection, I would sell it as such. In an auction, I would estimate it at least $8,000 to $10,000.

GUEST

Wow. That's a pretty good price, but it's never going there.

APPRAISER

And you're talking about condition here with the ball, you're talking about rarity with the scorebook. If you were to insure it, I wouldn't insure it for anything less than $15,000.

GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

It's impossible to replace this. Great stuff.

GUEST

Thank you.