Lot 116

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Description:

Kerouac Jack

Jack Kerouac's High School Sports Medals (3), Estate Certified

 

Three of Jack Kerouac's Personal High School Sports Medals from the year of his HS graduation for his participation in relays during the track season of 1939. Each 1.25" in diameter, attached to the original ribbons and with the original pins. The three are pinned to a velvet strip. The medals are in excellent condition with the ribbons each in varying condition with wear.

 

Provenance: The medals will be accompanied by an estate certification signed by John Sean-Sampas, executor of the Kerouac Estate by descent. John Sean-Sampas is the son of John Sampas, who was the brother-in-law of Jack Kerouac, and the brother of Stella Kerouac, Jack's wife.

 

Kerouac's two favorite childhood pastimes were reading and sports, and he excelled at football, basketball and track. Although Kerouac dreamed of becoming a novelist and writing the "great American novel," it was sports, not writing, that Kerouac viewed as his means to a secure future. With the onset of the Great Depression, the Kerouac family suffered from financial difficulties, and Kerouac's father turned to alcohol and gambling to cope. His mother took a job at a local shoe factory to boost the family income. Kerouac became a star running back on the Lowell High School football team and saw football as his ticket to a college scholarship, which, in turn, might allow him to secure a good job and save his family's finances.

 

After the football season, in the winter of 1938-1939 Kerouac ran indoor track at the High School Annex. He fared well in the 30 yard dash and in the 35 yard low hurdles. He frequently competed in the 300 yard run, the standing broad jump, sprint relays, and the low hurdles. Overall he placed in several races, and came in first in five of the meets. By the spring of 1939 he was involved in outdoor track. Two of the medals offered in this lot are for the relay race, with one being for the hurdles.

 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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$1,000 $1,999 $100
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$50,000 + $5,000