Cerulli World Series collection

Collection

Identifier: CERULLI-1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of materials pertaining to Major League Baseball's World Series games, spanning the years 1941-2013. Included are baseballs, programs, periodical issues, photographs, and ticket stubs. Most of the materials contain authenticated signatures, as well as statistics pertaining to the individual players. While the collection includes materials from all World Series teams during this timeframe, there is a particular focus on the Boston Red Sox World Series championships in 2004, 2007, and 2013. Also included are baseballs and photographs of and signed by sportscasters.

Dates

1941-2013

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials to be used on site during regular Special Collections hours or by appointment. Photocopying or scanning may be possible at discretion of staff for a nominal fee. Materials may be protected by copyright.

Biographical / Historical

Kurt Cerulli, raised in New Jersey, attended Colby College in Waterville Maine. After graduating from Colby in 1978, he earned degrees from Boston University in business and law and from New York University in accounting. His career began as a securities tax lawyer at Coopers & Lybrand in New York, then moving to New York Life Insurance Company as a Chief Executive Officer of NYLIFE Equity. Cerulli then became Executive Vice President of New Business Develpment at Fidelity Investments. In 1992 he founded Cerulli Associates, Inc., servicng as the Chief Executive Officer and Principal. Cerulli Associates began as a consultancy for asset managers of mutual funds. After 12 years, the firm changed its focus to publishing The Cerulli Report and The Cerulli Edge series.

Cerulli's lifelong love of baseball began as a child in New Jersey, rooting for the New York Yankees. After moving to Boston, his passion moved to the Boston Red Sox. Over a span of 15 years, Cerulli curated a collection focusing on Major League Baseball's World Series games and players. His collection, and more so his passion and love for the game, is nationally renowned. In 2012, Kurt and Mary Cerulli founded the Cerulli Award for Excellence in Sports Writing. The award, which comes with a prize of $5,000, "honors excellence in sports writing across genres" (www.pen-ne.org/sportswriting-award). Ben Fountain's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk was the inaugural recipient. Three years later in 2015, the Cerullis became the benefactors of the Sports Writing Hall of Fame. Located in Fenway Park's Press Room, it honors writers who "have made significant contributions to sports literature."

Extent

624 items.

Additional Description

Abstract

A collection of signed baseballs, programs, periodical issues, photographs, and ticket stubs from World Series games 1941-2013.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the original order of the inventory created by the donor, with any materials not included in the original inventory listed at the end. The collection may be re-grouped chronologically by World Series year.

The organic series created by the inventory are as follows: Series 1 Baseballs (Subseries 1A World Series baseballs ; Subseries 1B Red Sox 2004 World Series baseballs ; Subseries 1C Red Sox 2007 World Series baseballs ; Subseries 1D Red Sox 2013 World Series baseballs ; Subseries 1E Sportscaster signed baseballs and frame photographs ; Subseries 1F Miscellaneous baseballs) ; Series 2 Framed multi-piece items (programs, magazines, tickets) ; Series 3 Additional programs and tickets ; Series 4 Additional sports magazines and newspapers ; Series 5 Photographs