Bidding on a 1942 Joe DiMaggio New York Yankees jersey stands at $90,000 in Goldin Auctions' latest online sale.
The lot is one of the oldest DiMaggio jerseys known to exist and the only surviving specimen from the legendary hitter's 1942 wartime season.
 DiMaggio spent the war stationed in Hawaii as a PE trainer |
After America entered the war in 1941, public opinion turned against baseball stars.
They questioned why these able bodied men were playing sport when others were fighting in Europe and the Pacific.
DiMaggio joined the army in 1943 but was considered too valuable to deploy on the frontline and spent his time billeted as a PE trainer in Hawaii.
Goldin comments: "It is a minor miracle that any jersey, let alone a DiMaggio jersey, has survived from the 1942 season. Wartime rationing severely restricted sports supplies and uniforms were recycled and used up more frequently than during the depression years…
"Condition-wise, the jersey exhibits heavy use. Remember, Joe DiMaggio played every single game of that 1942 season and this jersey reflects his dedication to the game.
"This is a Cooperstown-worthy flannel and a piece of wartime American history, worn by the best ballplayer in the game during the last good season before the war took away the best talent."
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