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ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves say Hank Aaron memorabilia can’t be auctioned off later this month because they aren’t sure it’s authentic.
Attorneys for the Braves sent a cease and desist letter to Heritage Auctions on Friday.
The Dallas, Texas-based auction house claims to have the bases and home plate from the April 8, 1974 Braves game where Aaron hit his 715th home run, as well as Aaron’s jerseys from 1954 and 1974.
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The Aaron items are set to be offered during the Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction Aug. 23-25. The collection features over 1,000 lots, which you can click here to view.
The auction house’s website says an employee instructed his staff to save everything from the historic game, including home plate and all three bases.
In the cease and desist letter, shared with Channel 2 Action News, the Braves say the items may have been illegally removed from Atlanta Stadium at the time of the game.
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They go on to say that they have reason to believe the bases the auction house has, aren’t the actual bases at all.
According to the Braves, the third base that Aaron ran during that game is on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Pennsylvania, where it has been since Aaron donated it to them in 1982.
They also say the second base was auctioned off by another auction house in 2002.
“The Atlanta Braves remain deeply concerned with Heritage’s lack of diligence and complete failure to authenticate the Disputed Items,” the letter reads.
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Heritage Auctions shared a comment with Channel 2 Action News on Saturday afternoon that read,
“This matter has been turned over to our legal counsel, and we eagerly await next steps.”
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