Bob Knight to sell old championship hardware

FROM IDS REPORTS

After leading the IU men’s basketball team to three national titles in 1976, 1981 and 1987 as well as coaching the USA team that won Olympic gold in 1984, former IU Coach Bob Knight has decided to sell several pieces of hardware to raise money for his grandchildrens’ college funds.

Items in the “Bob Knight Collection” will include Knight’s championship rings, gold medal given to him by the Los Angeles Olympic Committee, a sport coat and warmup jacket given to him during the 1984 Olympic Games, and an assortment of ties, jackets, trophies, hunting knives and military keepsakes.

Knight has two grandsons and his wife has a niece and nephew who the former IU coach said he hoped “would get good use out of this.”

The auction has already begun and will last until Dec. 5 at www.steinersports.com.

The Knight collectables will be sold alongside artifacts that include Don Larson’s jersey from his 1956 World Series perfect game, handwritten pages from Joe DiMaggio’s diaries, a baseball signed by former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and a Mickey Mantle-autographed magazine.

The AP reported that Steiner Sports CEO Brandon Steiner said the former coach “wanted to be able to give some of the proceeds to his grandchildren and charities.”

— Nathan Brown