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Lot # 405: 1981 Jerry West Signed Los Angeles Lakers Contract with Notations

Category: Basketball

Starting Bid: $100.00

Bids: 7 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "2023 Summer Pop-Up",
which ran from 6/11/2023 7:00 PM to
6/25/2023 10:00 PM



Presented is a 1981 Jerry West signed Los Angeles Lakers contract, a standard playing contract also signed by prospective rookie guard Zambolist "Zam" Fredrick. At the time, Hall of Famer West was a scout with the Lakers, and he became the team's general manager in time for the 1982-83 season. West is one of the best players in NBA history, a 6'5" combo guard who averaged 27.0 PPG over his career, was an NBA Champion, a 14-time All-Star, a 4-time NBA All Defensive Team member, a 2-time MVP, and later a 2-time NBA Executive of the Year. Zam Fredrick was a 6'2" guard from the University of South Carolina who was a prolific college scorer, averaging 28.9 PPG in his senior season in 1980-81. Fredrick was the Lakers' 5th pick in the 1981 NBA draft, the 51st pick overall. West initialed "JW" twice on first page and again on page 6, and West signed the contract on page 7. West initialed and signed the contract in blue ink from a ballpoint pen. The 10-page contract is on 8.5x11" paper. Fredrick's salary was set at $40,000 a year, to be paid in 24 semi-monthly payments, but despite his college achievements, Fredrick did not make the Lakers team. The detailed contract enumerates activities that are absolutely forbidden to players, such as professional boxing, motorcycling, auto racing, and hang-gliding, and other activities that could only be performed after written permission from the club, such as basketball, football, baseball, and hockey. The contract even stipulates words to the effect that the player shall be fully and well-dressed in public. The contract shows some fading from the passage of time, and the contract also has a few tiny holes from staples or pins, and a few very small tears. At the beginning section of the contract, the Lakers have misspelled Fredrick's name as "Frederick." The immortal Jerry West was even used as the model player for the NBA's logo, and his signature, on such an "inside" document such as this player contract, is a fascinating offering.

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