Shaquille O’Neal Shoe Signed during Rookie Orlando Magic Season w/CoA from Magic

Description

I bought this shoe at the Outback Steakhouse golf tournament charity auction in Tampa, Florida in 1993.  I was working for West Advertising (now 22 Squared) who handled the Outback account, so we all got to go (I was an admin. asst.).
The Miller girls were giving away drinks, and I was 23 and perpetually thirsty, so I had my share...  Anyway, I was having a chocolate thunder from down under (Outback dessert with a brownie coated with Godiva liqueur), when they announced a charity auction for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.  The auctioned off F-16 flights, canoe trips down the Swanee River, you name it, but the final event was the Shaq shoe.  He was in his rookie year at the Magic, but I knew all about him because I had worked with a gal from LSU who never stopped talking about him, so I knew how dominating he was.  I also had friends who collected baseball cards, so had an idea that this might be very valuable down the road.  Plus, Shaq was notoriously stingy with his autograph in 1993.  The letter from the Magic in the dated Outback envelope provide proof of authenticity, and that he signed it in 1993.
Anyway, the bidding starts, 0, 0, 0 (I raise my hand from a back table while gorging myself on dessert), 0, 0, 0 (yep, me again), 0, 0, 0, ,000, ,100 (me again, really into the swing of things at this point), then the whole tent goes silent, and they say SOLD! and point at me.  I wave my hand and turn around to see all of the ad agency VP's with their mouths on the floor, then my boss (who is now a big wig at Outback), says to me (Bill, do we need to talk money, I know how much you make).  I said, nah, don't worry about it.  Anyway, I figured out how to scrounge up the cash and wrote a check.
Turns out I outbid the wife of one of the 3 Outback owners.  And I also got a new girlfriend that night as well as a big new shoe.
I've held onto the shoe for 23 years waiting until Shaq made the Hall of Fame.  Since he is made it last year, it's time to let someone else enjoy it.
Let me know if you have questions.  Comes with the letter and envelope as well.
Thanks!
- Bill