Me-TV’s Sunday night staple Collector’s Call is preparing to feature what might be its most significant assortment of memorabilia to date. The episode, focused on the Janay Smith: Sports Collection, presents a look into the world’s largest private game-worn sports collection, an archive so noteworthy that portions of it are already housed in the Smithsonian.
Hosted by Lisa Whelchel, the program meets with Janay Smith, who inherited the vast collection from her late father, a sports-obsessed lawyer. The items on display are staggering, representing some of American sports’ most historic moments. Among the pieces are Hank Aaron’s jersey and the ticket from the day he broke Babe Ruth’s home-run record, Muhammad Ali’s training robe and trunks, a #8 jersey autographed by Kobe Bryant, and Jim Brown’s MVP trophy.
As is standard for the series, historian Philip Merrill is on hand to evaluate the collection’s value and attempt to make a trade with Janay for one of her prized possessions. The episode teases a valuation that is apparently a first for the show, hinting at a figure that underscores the collection’s rarity and historical weight.
Collector’s Call airs Sunday, June 15 at 6:30 PM ET on Me-TV.
