DALLAS (AP) — A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” is on the auction block nearly two decades after a thief stole the iconic shoes, convinced they were adorned with real jewels.
Online bidding has started and will continue through Dec. 7, Heritage Auctions in Dallas announced in a news release Monday.
The auction company received the sequin-and-bead-bedazzled slippers from Michael Shaw, the memorabilia collector who originally owned the footwear at the heart of the beloved 1939 musical. Shaw had loaned the shoes in 2005 to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
That summer, someone smashed through a display case and stole the slippers. Their whereabouts remained a mystery until the FBI recovered them in 2018.
Now the museum is among those vying for the slippers, which were one of several pairs Garland wore during the filming. Only four remain.
Grand Rapids raised money for the slippers at its annual Judy Garland festival. The funds will supplement the $100,000 set aside this year by Minnesota lawmakers to purchase the slippers.
The man who stole the slippers, Terry Jon Martin, was 76 when he was sentenced in January to time served because of his poor health. He admitting to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museum’s door and display case in what his attorney said was an attempt to pull off “one last score” after an old associate with connections to the mob told him the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value.
The auction of movie memorabilia includes other items from “The Wizard of Oz,” such as a hat worn by Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch of the West and the screen door from Dorothy’s Kansas home.
FILE - Ruby slippers once worn by Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz," are displayed at a news conference, Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Boston College teammates James Hagens and Ryan Leonard each scored twice and the defending champion United States routed Switzerland 7-2 on Thursday in the world junior hockey quarterfinals.
Boston University's Brandon Svoboda, Notre Dame's Danny Nelson and Denver's Zeev Buium also scored, Hampton Slukynsky of Western Michigan made 17 saves and BC’s Gabe Perreault had three assists.
“I thought we played a good back and forth game with them, got pucks behind them and went to work,” Svoboda said. “We’re a fast team, and when we play like that, we’re hard to beat. We’re watching video every day, and if we can keep improving little things then we’ll continue to be successful.”
The Group A champion Americans awaited the late quarterfinal between Canada and Czechia at Canadian Tire Centre to learn their semifinal opponent.
“Overall, I thought we were ready to play and did what we needed to do against a good opponent in Switzerland,” said U.S. coach David Carle of Denver. “We’ll get ready now for the semifinals and look forward to the challenge in front of us.”
Nils Rhyn and Andro Kaderli scored for Switzerland.
In the other quarterfinals at TD Place, Group B winner Sweden beat Latvia 3-2, and Finland topped Slovakia 5-3.
David Edstrom, Zeb Forsfjall and Anton Wahlberg scored for Sweden. Jesse Nurmi had two goals and an assist for Finland, a 4-3 overtime winner over the United States in group play.
In the relegation game, Maxim Schafer scored twice to help Germany beat Kazakhstan 4-3. Germany secured a spot next season in the tournament, while Kazakhstan was demoted to the Division I Group A tournament.
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Finland forward Rasmus Kumpulainen (18) celebrates his goal with teammates Benjamin Rautianen (37) and Konsta Helenius (19) during the second period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal match in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)
Slovakia goaltender Samuel Urban (30) makes a save from a shot by Finland forward Julius Miettinen (27) during the second period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal match in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)
Finland goaltender Noa Vali (31) makes a save during first period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal match against Slovakia in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)
Finland forward Arttu Alasiurua (29) falls to the ice as Slovakia forward Frantisek Dej (22) and teammate Roman Kukumberg (16) battle for the puck during the first period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal match in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)
Finland forward Jesse Nurmi (24) celebrates his goal with teammates Mitja Jokinen (2) and Daniel Nieminen (7) during the first period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal match against Slovakia in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)
Team Latvia defenseman Krisjanis Sarts (2) takes a shot on Team Sweden goaltender Melker Thelin (35) during the first period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal match in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)
Team Sweden forward Otto Stenberg (25) tries to score on Team Latvia goaltender Linards Feldbergs (29) as Latvia forward Davis Livsics (7) and defenseman Darels Uljanskis (15) defend during the third period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal match in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)
Team Sweden goaltender Melker Thelin (35) celebrates his team's win over Team Latvia with defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka (4) and forward Felix Unger Sorum (16) after an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal match in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)
USA forward Brandon Svoboda (8) celebrates his goal with forward Austin Burnevik (23) and forward Max Plante (22) as Switzerland goaltender Christian Kirsch (1) looks on during the first period of a quarterfinal match at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
USA defenseman Logan Hensler (3) reacts as he blocks a shot with his body during second period of a quarterfinal match against Switzerland at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
USA forward Brandon Svoboda, left, checks Switzerland forward Simon Meier (27) as USA forward Max Plante (22) skates with the puck during the third period of a quarterfinal match at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
USA goaltender Hampton Slukynsky (30) stretches prior to the start of the third period of a quarterfinal match against Switzerland at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
USA forward Ryan Leonard (9) moves towards the net as Switzerland goaltender Christian Kirsch (1) keeps an eye on the puck and defenseman Nils Rhyn (14) defends the first period of a quarterfinal match at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
USA forward Danny Nelson (17) celebrates his goal as Switzerland forward Kimo Gruber (12) skates by during the first period of a quarterfinal match at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, Ontario Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
