Joey DePasquale’s collection of sports memorabilia had a simple start. When his restaurateur father, Frank, would travel to Las Vegas, he’d return with a gift for his son. But now, the DePasquale Ventures COO estimates that his collection is worth seven figures, thanks to gems like Michael Jordan’s sneaker from Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Another highlight: more than two dozen signed boxing gloves from famed prizefighters. DePasquale often pairs gloves based on historic fights, so he has a Muhammad Ali glove next to one from Joe Frazier, Evander Holyfield with Mike Tyson, local champ Marvin Hagler with Thomas Hearns. He’s got one from legendary North Ender Tony DeMarco and gloves from the very first fight he saw, a 1999 match between Vinny Pazienza and Bay Stater Dana Rosenblatt. But the collection is far from finished—especially with the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao battle looming on May 2. “I don’t have Mayweather’s autograph yet,” DePasquale says. “But I have enough space for two more gloves up in the right corner.”
The Swing of Things
Every person defines value differently, as the passionate collectors in these pages prove. We tapped them for a few object lessons.
By Improper Staff | Photo Credit: Adam Detour | April 17, 2015
Packing a Punch
Joey DePasquale’s collection of sports memorabilia had a simple start. When his restaurateur father, Frank, would travel to Las Vegas, he’d return with a gift for his son. But now, the DePasquale Ventures COO estimates that his collection is worth seven figures, thanks to gems like Michael Jordan’s sneaker from Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Another highlight: more than two dozen signed boxing gloves from famed prizefighters. DePasquale often pairs gloves based on historic fights, so he has a Muhammad Ali glove next to one from Joe Frazier, Evander Holyfield with Mike Tyson, local champ Marvin Hagler with Thomas Hearns. He’s got one from legendary North Ender Tony DeMarco and gloves from the very first fight he saw, a 1999 match between Vinny Pazienza and Bay Stater Dana Rosenblatt. But the collection is far from finished—especially with the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao battle looming on May 2. “I don’t have Mayweather’s autograph yet,” DePasquale says. “But I have enough space for two more gloves up in the right corner.”
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