Sir Donald Bradman's iconic 'Baggy Green' sold for $460,000
What's the story
The iconic "Baggy Green" cap worn by cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman has been sold for a whopping $460,000. The auction took place at Gold Coast, attracting significant interest from potential buyers in Australia, India, and the UK. The cap was gifted by Bradman to former Indian cricketer Ranga Sohoni during the 1947/48 series against India. It had been in his family for over 75 years without being publicly sold or displayed outside their possession.
Auction insights
Cap's journey and auction details
The cap, which has "D.G. Bradman" and "S.W. Sohoni" inscribed inside, was sold by Lloyds Auctions on Monday afternoon. Before the bidding began, Lee Hames, the COO of Lloyds Auctioneers and Valuers, described it as a "holy grail of cricket." He also revealed that Sohoni's last wish was to have the cap returned to Australia. The bidding for this historic piece started at just $1 but ended with a final bid of $460,000 plus a 16.5% buyer's premium.
Display plans
Historical significance
The cap, which features the Australian cricket coat of arms with "1947-48" embroidered underneath, will now be displayed at a prominent museum in Australia, as per the local media. Hames emphasized Bradman's status as "one of Australia's defining national figures," and said this cap is a piece of history with genuine national importance. Unlike today's Australian players, Test cricketers of Bradman's time donned a separate cap for every series.
Series
Iconic cap from India series
Bradman wore the aforementioned Baggy Green during the 1947/48 series against India. He hammered 715 runs from five Tests at an incredible average of 178.75 in that series. The tally includes 4 tons, a half-century, and a double-ton. Notably, Bradman's first Baggy Green cap from his debut season in 1928 was sold for $450,000 in 2020, according to Cricket Australia. The highest price for a baggy green cap was fetched by Shane Warne's (over $1 million).
Career
Bradman's iconic average of 99.94
Bradman, dubbed as the greatest-ever batter, played his last Test in the 1948 Ashes at The Oval in London. He required just four runs to bow out with an astronomical average of 100. However, the Aussie legend managed a second-ball duck, leaving his average at 99.94. Bradman, known as the GOAT, finished with 6,996 runs in just 52 Tests (29 tons).