Baseball Kissed by Marilyn, Signed by DiMaggio, Goes to Auction

A baseball signed by the 1952 New York Yankees — including legend Joe DiMaggio — and marked with the lipstick of screen siren Marilyn Monroe is expected to rake in more than $20,000 on the auction block, reports Britain's Daily Mail.

The ball, which was signed and kissed by Monroe, symbolizes the great love affair between the glamorous movie star and her sporting hero beau. DiMaggio and Monroe married in 1954.

Sound editor Eddie D’Orazio received the ball, one of 15 signed by the 1952 Yankees, after his softball team won a league championship organized by film studio 20th Century Fox. Upon D’Orazio’s death in 1969, the baseball was passed down to his son.

The olden day artifact is set to be sold to the highest bidder on Aug. 4 at the Vintage Sports Collectibles Platinum Auction in Chicago. The starting bid will be $20,000 but the final selling price is expected to be much higher — a ball signed by both Monroe and DiMaggio sold for $191,000 at Heritage in May 2006.