Pittsburgh Pirate Experts: What Have I Got Here?

[71buc]

So Jerry was kind enough to sell this item to me. It definitely fits my collection. However, I was very wrong about Blass. The ring is in fact a 1971 ring. However the name stamped on the ring is GOTT. The only Gott who pitched for the Pirates was Jim who started his MLB career in 1982. I suspect that this ring rests on the hand of a chubby organizational emoyee not a player.

[ooo-ribay]

So, the ring is not part of the orinal casting? It was added? And why would a 1971 ring have the name of a player who played a decade later? I’m confused.

[71buc]

The ring is part of the cast. I believe the owner of the ring "Gott" was not a player he was likely a member of the front office or an organizational guy.

[nolemmings]

There was an Edward H. Gott who was on the Board of the Pittsburgh Pirates, probably at that time, and who was once the Chairman and CEO of US. Steel.
https://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/29/o...-chairman.html

[71buc]

I have to believe that is very likely the source of the cast. Thanks for the assist.

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by 71buc

The ring is part of the cast. I believe the owner of the ring "Gott" was not a player he was likely a member of the front office or an organizational guy.

OK. It makes sense to me now. Odd, though, that a Board of Directors guy would have a cast made. Vanity?

[MCyganik]

Here is a profile and pic of Ed Gott from Lehigh University if you want to know more. States he was CEO of US Steel from 1969 to 1973.

https://www.lehigh.edu/engineering/a...umni/gott.html

Gott also has a lake freighter originally built by U.S. Steel in 1979 named after him, the "MV Edwin H. Gott" that still exists in the Great Lakes.

It looks like his son Edwin Gott Jr. lives in Colorado Springs now, which would tie together the original assertion that it came from Colorado Springs... maybe son didn't want his dad's pitching arm sitting around the house anymore?

I'm intrigued by the whole weirdness of this haha.

[GoCubsGo32]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

OK. It makes sense to me now. Odd, though, that a Board of Directors guy would have a cast made. Vanity?

My guess, is maybe he was doing it as a particular study (such as casting) or helping out a friend for a project. Then Gott probably kept it as a neat souvenir.

OR...

Commissioning this arm piece could really tie the rug together in his office...lol

[Runscott]

That is incredibly weird. Reminds me of a really strange event I attended in Chicago back in the 1990's - it was a hippie-esque evening of no alcohol and weird stories related to music in the 1960's. Long John Baldry was the emcee and the main even was Cynthia Plaster Caster. Glad I went, but glad there was no alcohol and no available plaster

Great pick-up Mike.

[ramram]

Originally Posted by Runscott

That is incredibly weird. Reminds me of a really strange event I attended in Chicago back in the 1990's - it was a hippie-esque evening of no alcohol and weird stories related to music in the 1960's. Long John Baldry was the emcee and the main even was Cynthia Plaster Caster. Glad I went, but glad there was no alcohol and no available plaster

Great pick-up Mike.

Ah, the ole Plaster Caster. Talk about somebody with some unique celebrity stories!

Rob M.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by 71buc

So Jerry was kind enough to sell this item to me. It definitely fits my collection. However, I was very wrong about Blass. The ring is in fact a 1971 ring. However the name stamped on the ring is GOTT. The only Gott who pitched for the Pirates was Jim who started his MLB career in 1982. I suspect that this ring rests on the hand of a chubby organizational emoyee not a player.

Looks like a Republican to me! ( sorry, no pachyderm emogie available)


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