SOCCER AND OLYMPIC MEMORABILIA

THE 1896 ATHENS OLYMPICS MEDAL TO tOM BURKE

At the time of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 there was no organized effort to send an official U.S. Team to Athens. As is often the case with bold, new ideas, participation in the pivotal event was met at first with puzzlement and derision. Still, 14 men from the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) and Princeton saw a chance to be part of something significant, maybe even historic. So they crossed the Atlantic to become the “Founding Fathers” of Team USA.

Thomas Edmund Burke, a track star for Boston University and the B.A.A., was the first-ever Olympic champion in a sprint event, winning the 100 and 400 meters in a 'double' unimaginable in today's track world. Burke is the First of an Elite group of U.S. Gold Olympians that highlights Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis.

U.S. Olympic coach John Graham and the two-time Olympic medalist Tom Burke were so impressed by the drama of the marathon, the final event of the 1896 Games, that they came home inspired to create America's most beloved footrace, the Boston Marathon. On April 19, 1897, Burke scraped his foot across the narrow street and called the contestants' numbers. At precisely 12:19, he yelled "Go!" inscribing his name as the official starter for the first B.A.A. Marathon.

Burke's 1896 Athens Olympics participant medal, along with a unique set of papers and photographs by the two-time Gold medalist, provide a unique opportunity to own the earliest item of U.S. Olympic memorabilia.

The 1896 Athens medal to Olympic Legend Thomas Burke is the first of many for the most successful Nation of all time at the Summer Olympic Games.

bert patenaude, america's soccer hero

The 1930 World Cup witnessed America's brightest moment of World Cup Glory. The U.S. reached the World Semi-Finals and placed 3rd on what is the highest ever outcome for the USMNT.

Bert Patenaude, a young soccer striker for his hometown Fall River Marksmen, was crucial as he helped steering the U.S. to the Semi-Finals against Argentina, scoring in the opener against Belgium and all three goals in the win over Paraguay. He then scored twice on a friendly against Brazil for a total six goals and never again appeared with a U.S. Team.

Patenaude is the first player to score a hat-trick in the history of the FIFA World Cup, and the only American with such privilege. He is America's Greatest Soccer Hero and still holds the record for scoring most U.S. goals in a single World Cup.

For 80 years, Patenaude remained the U.S. top scorer. Landon Donovan needed twelve matches in three different world competitions to achieve what Patenaude scored in 4 days.

This photo is the only item to have been autographed by the U.S. Soccer Hero during the 1930 World Cup and it is America's most rare and valuable item of World Cup memorabilia.

THE ball for the 1930 world cup inaguration

Following the tradition of the Olympic Games, the World Cup competition began with earlier matches on July 13th, while the traditional parade of the participating nations with Jules Rimet was reserved for the Official World Cup Opening Ceremony and Stadium Inauguration on July 18th to coincide with Uruguay's Centennial celebration day.

After the ceremony, referee Jean Langenus - assisted by linesmen Thomas Balvay and Henri Christophe, whistled the opening match kick-off between Uruguay and Peru, in which Hector Castro scored the 1-0 win for the hosts. Soon after the match, the ball was presented by H. Christophe to his friend and colleague Domingo Lombardi.

Match used World Cup balls set the standard for any reputable collection on soccer memorabilia as these represent the spirit of the sport and are highly sought after by museums and specialized collectors.

T-Model balls from the 1930 World Cup command huge amounts, a similar ball was sold for $62,500 by Agon of Germany. These amounts, however, are minimal when compared to the staggering $2,4 million paid for the 2006 World Cup Final ball at a Sotheby's auction in Qatar.

THE MEDALS for A 1934 world cup CHAMPION

The 1934 World Cup marked the start for a highly successful tradition for the Italian national team in World Competitions.

This magnificent Set from 1934 was awarded by the FIFA-FIGC to a two-time World Cup winner from the Italian azzurri team, and includes a silver player badge, a bronze participant medal, and a superb World Cup Winner’s Gold medal with enameled flags of the competitors.

This is a RARE opportunity to own a unique set of World Cup soccer memorabilia from the emblematic Italian team.

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