LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Earvin “Magic” Johnson has given out his fair share of autographs to fans in his home state of Michigan over the years.
Now they have a chance to own one of his old rides - a 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL Johnson bought in the mid-1980s.
The car’s current owner, Tom Jamieson, bought the car from Johnson in the 1980s, just a few years after the vehicle’s paperwork shows Johnson bought it. Now he’s selling it, listing it for sale online for $24,000, according to the Lansing State Journal.
Jamieson, a sports medicine doctor who has practiced in Lansing for 50 years, was the team physician for several Lansing schools, including Everett High School, for four decades, including when Johnson was a student, he said.
Jamieson continued to treat Johnson while he played basketball at Michigan State University and stayed in touch with him after Johnson moved to California to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jamieson considers Johnson a friend, he said. There are several photos of the two men together hanging in a room inside Jamieson’s Lansing office.
“He’s just kind and good and personable,” Jamieson said. “He’s just an easy person to talk to.”
Johnson bought the white, two-door Mercedes-Benz in California, Jamieson said.
When a mutual friend told Johnson that Jamieson had been admiring the car Johnson offered it up for sale.
The car, a hard-top convertible with a leather interior and a stereo system Johnson had installed, arrived in Lansing on a truck from California.
“I think I had it for four to six weeks, driving it, testing it, seeing if I really wanted to buy it,” Jamieson said.
He’s owned the car for more than 30 years, but drove it sparingly, about five or six times a year.
“Boy, that’s a good-looking car,” people have told him.
“Once in a while I’ll tell them this used to be Magic’s car,” he said.
“I’ve never driven it very much or very far,” Jamieson said. “I just never took it on long-distance trips and was very cautious. I just didn’t want to take any chances with it.”
The Mercedes-Benz spent summers in Jamieson’s garage and winters in storage. It has 48,000 miles on it.
“It needs to be driven,” he said. “Somebody needs to take it and drive it, ride it and use it. I don’t know that Magic cares at all what happens with it but I do. I think it would be fun for someone to have.”
“48,000 original miles,” the listing for the Mercedes-Benz reads. “Manual hard top removable cab convertible. Willing to hear offers.”
Tom Jamieson’s 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL. The Lansing resident bought it from Earvin “Magic” Johnson in the 1980s. Jamieson is putting the car up for sale.
When the car arrived at Jamieson’s house in the 1980s, he found one of Johnson’s basketballs inside. It will stay with the car, Jamieson said, who hopes to have Johnson sign and autograph the ball before he turns it over to the car’s new owner.
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