Baseball’s version of “the Hot Line” is the always-open line of communication between managers, their bullpens, and other places. Here are not one but two “hot lines” from the home dugout at Busch Stadium, on which Tony Larussa racked up a whole lot of “anytime minutes.” Black phones are encased in identical-sized (8” deep, 12” tall) black boxes – with hinged metal covers engraved “Telephone” in vertical white block letters -- that were mounted to the dugout wall one on top of the other. Phones were used for different purposes, with the bottom phone the one for those all-important bullpen calls, a fact made evident by the letters in “Telephone” having been overwritten in black marker with the word “Bullpen.” Standard touch-tone telephone inside, though it had a direct open line to the ‘pen. Right side of the cover has a latch with a loop and peg, which when removed would allow the case to be swung open. Other phone cover is overwritten with “P.R.”, indicating that the manager and/or players could contact the team’s public relations staff, and vice versa, on matters such as official scoring decisions, player injuries, lineup changes. Phones and boxes are G-VG with understandable wear damage in the form of nicks, scratches and some small areas of paint loss.
(Estimate $300 - $500)