A stitch in time

Sometimes the best things happen when least expected. Such was the case in 2017, when author Richard A. Johnson, curator of the Sports Museum in Boston, received a phone call from fundraising executive Brad Keltner proposing an exhibition of a remarkable and historical collection of baseball memorabilia. Keltner and his partner David Levanson have compiled an unprecedented collection of autographed baseballs from every team in Boston Red Sox history dating back to the club's founding in 1901. Starting out as rival bidders at auctions competing for the desirable treasures they both sought, over a period of years Keltner and Levanson decided to collaborate, and have amassed the most historically significant and complete collection of its kind. A Stitch in Time highlights the stories behind iconic players from Cy Young, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski to recent stars such as Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez and David 'Big Papi' Ortiz. A journey through the history of one of America's oldest baseball clubs, this volume is a must-have for memorabilia collectors and sports fans of all stripes.