ADDENDUM: Please read updates to this description in regards to the authentication.

Widely considered the greatest hitting catcher in baseball history, Mike Piazza can thank his Godfather, the late Tommy Lasorda, for getting a shot to even play pro ball at all. In 1988, the Dodgers' colorful Italian skipper, urged by Piazza's father, advised L.A.'s front office to draft his Godson in the 62nd round. The rest, as they say, is history. Piazza won Rookie of the Year honors in 1993 and ultimately became MLB's all-time leader in home runs by a catcher with 396 at the position. (He hit 427 career dingers, but 31 of those came while playing a different position.) The 12-time All-Star, who would go on to star for the Mets in the latter half of his career, retired with a .308 lifetime batting average and was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2016.

Offered here is Mike Piazza's Los Angeles Dodgers 1996 game worn home jersey during which "The Pizza Man" had one of his finest seasons, batting .336 with 36 bombs and 105 RBI. He finshed 2nd in NL MVP voting that year as the the Boys in Blue went 90-72 to claim a Wild Card spot before falling to the eventual NL pennant-winning Braves. Tagged by Russell Athletic inside the left front shirt tail, the size "52" white knit shirt has a 2" extra length and 100% polyster flags tags. 1996 marked the team's 35th year at Dodger Stadium and that attractive commemorative patch adorns the left sleeve. 

The jersey shows heavy wear with fraying to the letters and numbers as well as a some spot staining on the front. The blue tackle twill "Dodgers", "PIAZZA" and "31" come all-original, but the front No. "31" in red may have been changed at one point. For some reason, MEARS gave this jersey a base grade of A5 (usually it starts at A10 before deductions are considered) even though the authentication paperwork confirms it as a Piazza gamer with heavy wear. According to MEARS, there is a"half point deduction for a broken button and what appears to be a front number change from #5 with the outline of the previously applied numerals visible." Overall, MEARS had graded it A4.5 when in reality it could just as easily be A9.5.