jacket

A Portland teenager found a random old Lakers jacket in a Goodwill bin in January.

He paid $3.07 for it.

Seven months later, the item sold at auction for $89,600.

Turns out the old jacket wasn’t so random after all.

Verified by Sotheby’s auction house, it was a warmup jacket worn by NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain at least three times. That includes during the 1972 NBA Finals in which the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks in five games and Chamberlain was named the series MVP.

“This is Truly a once in a lifetime find,” Quinn Brown wrote on Instagram in January. “I am so grateful this jacket has landed in my hands.”

Brown, 19, has been reselling his thrift-store clothing finds online for the past three years. When he saw someone toss the short-sleeved Lakers jacket with “Chamberlain” on the back into a bin of clothes outside Goodwill, Brown grabbed it for his online shop.

Then he did some research. Brown found an online photo of Chamberlain wearing a jacket that looked very similar. He also discovered that the four-time league MVP’s jersey measurements closely matched those of the jacket.

This undated photo provided by Sotheby’s shows a warmup jacket worn by Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals that was found in an Oregon thrift store.

(Sotheby’s via Associated Press)

After he posted a photo of the jacket online, Brown was contacted by Sotheby’s about consigning it for auction. He took the auction house up on the offer, and the jacket was whisked away in an armored vehicle.

Sotheby’s photomatched the jacket to three images: an undated photo from the 1972-73 season, a photo from a January 1973 game and a photo from a 1972 home game against the Knicks that was determined to be from either Game 1 or Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Chamberlain had 12 points and 19 rebounds in Game 1, a 114-92 Lakers loss, and 23 points and 24 rebounds in Game 2, a 106-92 Lakers victory.

“I didn’t even think that finding something like this was possible,” Brown told the Associated Press. “I got very, very lucky.”

Sotheby’s estimated that the jacket could go for $150,000 to $250,000. While the final amount wasn’t quite that high, Brown told KIRO-FM (97.3) in Tacoma, Wash., that he’s “obviously happy” after making back 29,000-times his initial investment.

“$90,000 is pretty good,” he said. “I was hoping it would go higher. A little surprised, sitting there the last five minutes it didn’t really get any bids. So that was a little disappointing. But, still, a lot of money — especially since I only spent $3.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

It was built by locals to be able to cross a huge river

There are thousands upon thousands of bridges across the world, yet one has the unwelcome title of being the most dangerous. Not all bridges are created equally when it comes to safety.

Often called the “most dangerous” in the world, the Hussaini Suspension Bridge in Pakistan is known for its high winds. Despite the title, the bridge remains a masterpiece of local engineering and has become a magnet for thrill seekers.

It was built in 1968 by local villagers of Hassaini and Zarabad using only raw materials. The 635-foot-long bridge is made of wooden planks and steel cables, held together by six main ropes that span its length.

The Hussaini Suspension Bridge was designed to provide a lifeline to transport goods and livestock across the Hunza River. Following a devastating landslide in 2010, the bridge was reconstructed.

Between the wooden planks of the bridge are larger spaces designed to resist the wobbly vibrations caused by the wind. Travel Magazine Conde Nast Traveller named the bridge as among the most dangerous in the world in 2013.

While it was built for local access, it has become popular with tourists. To visit and cross the bridge, tourists must wear life jackets.

Tragically, in July 2022, a student from Sindh reportedly died from drowning after falling from the bridge. It was sealed off while an investigation was under way, and later renovations were carried out.

Safety upgrades were implemented, including replacing the old, rotting and uneven wooden boards. The local community and authorities also worked together to tighten the steel cables.

Many tourists are still braving the crossing and have shared their experiences on TripAdvisor. One said: “What a thrilling bridge! People who have mental strength and not afraid of heights should give a try on this bridge! It’s a dare!”

Another added: “The journey to reach the bridge itself is an adventure, with winding roads and breath-taking landscapes that set the stage for the thrill to come.”

Someone else commented: “About 400 steps from one end to the other end of the bridge.

“The bridge is secure and safe. However, precautions should be taken when crossing the bridge as it is still a risk of falling accidentally. Give it a try!”

However, a fourth wrote: “Firstly, I refused to cross that bridge, but now I literally repent my decision. Looks dangerous , definitely not for people with fragile hearts like me , but its damn daring.”

A physics teacher has shed light on the hidden dangers of inflating your life jacket inside an aircraft cabin during an emergency – it could have deadly consequences

A physics teacher has explained the “horrific” risks that come when a life jacket is inflated by a person who’s still onboard a plane. When boarding any flight, the cabin crew run through a comprehensive safety briefing explaining to passengers where the emergency exits are, how to secure their seat belts, where to locate and how to utilise oxygen masks, how to operate life jackets, and more.