FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Detroit, MI, January 5th, 2023 – As the Detroit Lions roar through an exceptional 2023 season, DuMouchelles is thrilled to present a remarkable piece of the team’s storied past at our upcoming auction on January 18th & 19th. Lot 1, a football signed by every player of the legendary 1957 NFL Championship Detroit Lions team, takes center stage on January 18th at 11AM EST, offering bidders an extraordinary piece of sports history.
The white ACME Professional football is adorned with signatures from iconic players, including Hall of Famers Jack Christiansen, Lou Creekmur, Frank Gatski, John Henry Johnson, Yale Lary, Bobby Layne, and Joe Schmidt. Each autograph is a testament to a story of triumph, including that of Howard “Hopalong” Cassady, the 1955 Heisman Trophy winner, and Leon Hart, the 1949 Heisman and Maxwell Award winner.
The 1957 championship team, which defeated the Cleveland Browns in a resounding 59-14 victory, marked the Lions’ 4th and most recent NFL title. The Lions, led by reserve quarterback Tobin Rote, who stepped in for the injured Bobby Layne, outscored their opponents 83-17 in their final six quarters of play, including the championship game. This ball, collected by Victor F. Pegg Sr. as he delivered telegrams to the players and front office, has been a closely guarded family secret, passed down generation to generation and unveiled to the public for the first time.
This ball commemorates the glory and the underdog mentality that has defined Detroit for generations. Just as the ’57 team refused to back down, so too has the city faced hardship and emerged stronger.
The 1957 championship ushered in a golden era of Lions football through the 1950s. Despite enduring long championship droughts since, the Lions’ 1950s dominance built a tradition of excellence that persists even amid recent struggles. With the 2023 team echoing 1957 with their own worst-to-first rise, this football links eras of past and present greatness – the heritage that makes the Lions forever fearsome.
As the current Lions’ squad, led by Jared Goff, David Montgomery, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, dominate the NFC North with an impressive 11-5 record, their first division title in 30 years, and a playoff win with a promising run, the timing couldn’t be more perfect to celebrate the team’s rich history. The parallels between past and present are striking, with the team’s recent successes reigniting the spirit of the 1957 champions within the city.
We invite sports enthusiasts, collectors, and Detroit faithful to own a piece of the Lions’ proud legacy. Join us at DuMouchelles in January to witness this and other extraordinary items as they find new homes where their stories and spirit will continue to inspire.
