Description:

Kiner Ralph

Ralph Kiner owned Swiss Army knife, Christmas Present from Pirates co-owner Bing Crosby

 

Swiss Army knife personally owned and used by National Baseball Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner (1922-2014), and given to him as a Christmas present by Pittsburgh Pirates co-owner Bing Crosby (1903-1977).

 

The silver case front is engraved "Christmas, '57,"  appearing above Crosby's facsimile signature as "Bing." Made in Italy. Two stainless steel attachments, one a nail file and one a pocket knife, unfold out of either side. A pocket clip marked with a patent number appears verso. In very good condition, with surface wear consistent with frequent use. Some speckled corrosion verso. Measures 2" x 1". Provenance: Acquired directly from the Kiner Family.

 

Ralph Kiner played almost his entire professional baseball career for the Pittsburgh Pirates, between 1946-1953. The star slugger soon befriended team co-owner Bing Crosby, who owned a 25% share of the franchise between 1946 and his death in 1977. Through Crosby, a popular baritone crooner and comedic actor, Kiner was introduced to a Hollywood social circle that included Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Jack Benny, and Lucille Ball. Crosby purportedly arranged for Kiner to go on a date with Elizabeth Taylor in 1949, and Crosby and Kiner also played golf together. Crosby's Swiss Army knife Christmas present thus represented many shared memories of wine, women, and song.

 

Kiner's time with the Pirates marked the zenith of his career. He was elected to the Pirates All Stars for 5 consecutive years, from 1948-1952.  He was a 7x home run leader, with a lifetime batting average of .279. The Pittsburgh Pirates retired Kiner's number 4 in 1987.

 

Ralph Kiner wrapped up his 9-year-long professional baseball career by playing for the Chicago Cubs (1953-1954) and Cleveland Indians (1955). After a serious back injury, Kiner retired at age 32. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975, and the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1984.

 

Kiner returned to the sport as an Emmy award winning sportscaster. He hosted his own segment called "Kiner's Korner" and commentated Chicago White Sox and New York Mets games for 53 seasons, making him the third-longest active baseball sportscaster of all time.

 

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!
Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000