Geddy Lee, the renowned bassist of the iconic rock band Rush, is set to unveil a captivating new book that delves into his lifelong love affair with baseball. Titled "72 Stories," the book is scheduled for release on May 13, 2025, through HarperCollins, promising to offer a unique and personal glimpse into Lee's extensive baseball collection and the memories that have shaped his journey as a passionate collector.

Unlocking the Treasures of Geddy Lee's Baseball Trove

A Collector's Odyssey

Geddy Lee's journey as a baseball collector has been a testament to his unwavering passion for the sport. In a candid interview with Illinois Entertainer, the musician revealed the complexities of maintaining such an extensive collection, acknowledging that "collecting is a younger person's game." As he has grown older, Lee has found himself grappling with the desire to simplify his life, yet his nature has led him to "complicate a part of [his] life that should be much simpler than it is."Lee's collection has been a source of both joy and challenge, as he has amassed a vast array of baseball memorabilia over the years. The collection has been a repository of cherished memories, with Lee describing the "so many wonderful memories tied up in there." However, the passing of the fellow collector with whom he built the collection has led Lee to reevaluate his approach, as he has found himself "no longer tending to [his] baseball collection" in recent years.

Sharing the Passion

In a bold move, Lee decided to auction off a significant portion of his collection in November 2023, including a prized baseball signed by the members of the Beatles in 1965, estimated to be worth between $100,000 and $300,000. Lee's decision to make these items available to collectors was driven by a desire to share the treasures he had amassed over the years."Collections need to be fed, and I was no longer tending to my baseball collection," Lee explained to Illinois Entertainer. "I have so many things that I want to do, that I want to learn, and I had let my baseball memorabilia sort of get dusty. So, I just thought, nothing lasts forever. We're just a custodian of these things until we pass them to the next custodian. Let me give a gift to all the collectors out there. Let's make these things available that have not been on the market for years and [let the collectors] have at it."

Preserving the Personal

Despite the decision to auction off a significant portion of his collection, Lee has retained a substantial amount of baseball ephemera that holds deep personal meaning to him. "I still have a huge collection of baseball memorabilia that has meaning to me. Some of them are very personal. I kept some wonderful things," he revealed.The upcoming book, "72 Stories," promises to offer a unique and intimate exploration of Lee's baseball collection, delving into the stories and memories that have shaped his lifelong passion for the sport. Fans and collectors alike eagerly await the opportunity to delve into this captivating journey, as Geddy Lee shares his love for the game and the treasures that have defined his remarkable collection.