This ball was a gift from the Orange Bowl Committee to SISTER JEANNE O'LAUGHLIN, OP, PHD. The Orange Bowl Community Master Member List confirms that Sister O' Laughlin became a life member in 1984.
Having no children of her own she was attentive to her nieces family whose young son visited several times to attend the Orange Bowl with her. I got it from her around the time she got me tickets to the Orange bowl game when I was in high school, 1987-ish I think was the last time I was there. She broke the gender line long held by several old-boy Miami institutions, becoming the first woman on the Orange Bowl Committee. First to win the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerces Sand in My Shoes Award, and first in the'Non-Group', an influential, behind-the-scenes power force in the community of businessmen and civic leaders.
Many other good works by an impressive woman, worth reading her obituary from June 2019. She died at the age of 90. Please study all the photos as the are part of this items description. I have posted photos taken with and without flash.
The certificate is one of the earliest ones, numbered S056 as is the autographed ball, from Don Shula. It states it was "Signed exclusively for you at his home office". The gold seal has an embossed date but I cannot make out the exact year. The case base has an engraved name plate. COACH DON SHULA NFL'S WINNINGEST COACH. The acrylic fitted top is in good condition with only a few scuffs/corner crazing consistent with it's age and travels from Florida to Arizona. It has been in storage most of it's lifetime. The OFFICIAL WILSON NFL FOOTBALL is not fully inflated. The signature is clear and number 325.Message me if you have questions or would like to make an offer. The item "NFL Coach Don Shula #325 signed Football + Display Case + COA S056 + Provenance" is in sale since Monday, December 20, 2021. This item is in the category "Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop\Autographs-Original\Football-NFL\Balls". The seller is "treasure-detecting" and is located in McNeal, Arizona. This item can be shipped to United States.