Geddy Lee may be best known as the frontman of Rush, but in the sports world he is known for being one of the world's biggest baseball memorabilia collectors.
That is about to change, however, because Lee has decided it is time for him to set some of his collection free.On socials, Lee announced that he will be listing some of his collection for auction through Christie's. An online auction for Selections from the Geddy Lee Collection and Important Baseball Memorabilia will begin November 21, while a live auction will take place on December 6.
Some items up for grabs include baseballs signed by the White Sox’s “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, the Negro Leagues’ Josh Gibson, and former Presidents JFK and FDR. There will also be baseball caps and uniforms available once worn by legends such as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
About the auction, Lee says, "It's been an education and privilege for the past 35 years to amass a wonderful and supremely mammoth collection of baseball memorabilia. Yet, I've decided it's time to move some of it on for other collectors to enjoy," Lee explained on Instagram. "What an effin' blast it's been, but I must have had too much stuff because after these selections were sent to Christie's, my wife stepped into my office and said, 'Hey! I thought you were selling some of your collection??' … Uh, yeah Honey, I am… Oopsie!"
Lee, who is an avid Toronto Blue Jays fan and can regularly be seen behind home plate at home games, was interviewed by The Athletic about the auction, giving a historic account of his life as a collector. But what it comes down to is responsibility and room. “It’s a big job to keep adding to it,” Lee says. “And I’m running out of space, too!”
This all comes as Lee is about to publish his much anticipated autobiography, My Effin' Life, on November 14. And then a few weeks later, on December 5, his highly entertaining docu-series, Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?, premieres on Paramount+.
See Geddy Lee's post below.