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The Natural Production Made Official Spalding National League Baseball

Currency:USD Category:Memorabilia / Movie - Memorabilia Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
The Natural Production Made Official Spalding National League Baseball
The Natural Production Made Official Spalding National League Baseball - Voted the greatest sports film ever made, and also on the list of the top 100 greatest American films of all time, “The Natural” (1984), transcends its subject of baseball, into a realm held by such immortal classics as “Shawshank Redemption”, for its universal message of hope, spiritual rebirth and salvation, and of the power of pure goodness and love over evil and greed. It also includes in its story some of the most coveted props in movie history, which are Roy Hobbs’ (Robert Redford) “Wonderboy” Bat, and of course, the Official Spalding National League baseballs. This is one of those production made baseballs which became such an important part in “The Natural’s” plot throughout the film. Used in every major sequence, the balls are especially important and symbolic in the penultimate sequence, where Hobbs hits the ball (which is seen with all the Spaulding markings and red and black stitch in extremely close-up slow-motion coming right at us on the screen) into the stadium lights for the final winning home run. His run around the bases as all the stadium lights explode in a celebration shower of fireworks and sparks, occupied by Randy Newman's stand-up-and-cheer-tear-inducing score is considered by many to be one of the greatest endings in film. The ball continues to transition to the very last scene where Hobbs is back at his farm with Iris Gaines (Glenn Close) his girl-next-door sweetheart and now wife, playing catch with his long-lost son. This famous prop comes from the personal collection of the craftsman who made all the special iconic red and black stitched Official 1930’s National League Baseballs for the production. He has made a detailed miniature leather glove to “seat” the ball, and also has crafted a custom Plexiglas case and plaque for this very special piece of Hollywood history. It also comes with his personal official Letter of Provenience. (Ball-glove in custom case is approx 7"x6"x6").