Consign Your Best Items with Lelands. We Also Pay Cash on the Spot! Learn More Here.
1941 Philadelphia Eagles-Pittsburgh Steelers Merger Contract
It may sound like comedy skit fodder now, but for one season the Philadelphia Eagles and their intrastate rival Pittsburgh Steelers played as the "Phil-Pitt Eagles-Steelers" -- or, as most dubbed them, the "Steagles." It happened when, with their rosters depleted by WWII, Eagles owner Bert Bell and his counterpart Art Rooney had to strike a desperate deal while splitting alternative home games and coaches. This extraordinary find is the original merger contract agreement drawn up by the Eagles management -- appropriately, the day after April Fool's Day, 1941. (Another contract, drawn up by the Steelers management to finalize the deal, is being offered separately.) In a weird twist, though the actual merger didn't go into effect for two years, Bell that '41 season quit the Eagles and coached the Steelers -- at least for 5 games, losing 3, before Rooney fired him! In a rather sticky situation, Bell remained as Rooney's nominal co-owner! The stranger-than-fiction contract, which must be seen to be believed, carries the signatures of these two larger than life gridiron icons in black fountain pen on the last page, with Bell using his full name -- "deBenneville Bell" -- as Eagles president and Rooney's underneath. There is also the signature of the President of the Eagles official business name, "East-West Sporting Club, Inc." All signatures are mint, contract itself runs 8 pages and is NRMT.
Past Sports Card, Memorabilia, Non-Sports Card and Collecitble Auction Items
Other past auction items that may be of interest to you.
1891 Football Noseguard
Turn of the Century "Melon" Football
1964 NFL Champion Cleveland Browns Signed Team Photo
1999-2000 Baltimore Ravens Game Worn Jerseys (11)
Late 1960’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Signed Letterhead
1999 CFL Grey Cup Trophy
1969 Minnesota Vikings Championship Ring
