Post your favorite baseballs...
 

There are always threads on the other side about recent acquisitions and our favorite cards, but I don't believe I have ever seen a thread about our favorite baseballs. So, if you would like to, post pictures (and possibly stories) of your favorite autographed baseballs, trophy baseballs, game used baseballs, etc...

Here are a few of mine...
1. 1922-23 Yankees team signed ball with a sweet spot Ruth. Also contains Dugan, Scott, Schang, Ward, McNally, Hoyt, among others (17 signatures total)...I had always wanted a Babe Ruth signed baseball and my mom and grandmother purchased this one for my college graduation!

2. Earlier 1900's Vermont University trophy baseball

3. 1938 Sioux City trophy ball that appears to be signed by players and then later traced over

4. 1929-31 Yankees team signed ball with a faint sweet spot Ruth. Also contains Lazzeri, Wells, and other faint signatures...(appearing in BST section)...

Looking forward to your stories and pictures...

I'm disappointed that this thread didn't take off. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Bob Feller signed/used ball while in the service

Some of Early Wynn's signed victory balls (have several, always looking for more)

A Ronald Reagan signed ball that I got for a song.


Ken Sulik
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

My 1938 Lincoln Links Team Signed Baseball

<a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/?action=view&amp;current=1938lincolnlinksball1.jpg " target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/1938lincolnlinksball1.jpg" border="0" alt="1938 Lincoln Links"></a>

<a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/?action=view&amp;current=1938lincolnlinksball2.jpg " target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/1938lincolnlinksball2.jpg" border="0" alt="1938 Lincoln Links"></a>

I took a bit of a leap of faith when I bought this baseball in a well-known auction house's event about 12-13 years ago. The writing on the sweet spot reads "Caught in Cleveland during 3rd game of 1954 World Series."

In addition to the autographs of Giants players Hank Thompson, Willie Mays, Johnny Antonelli, Ruben Gomez, Bill Taylor and Don Mueller, there also are signatures of Giants legend Carl Hubbell and comedian Joe E. Brown. There's little doubt in my mind that the writing on the sweet spot and the autographs were placed on the ball in the same time frame. I figure if this ball was created to deceive, adding the signature of Brown, and to a lesser extent, Hubbell, was a stroke (pun intended) of brilliance.

There's no way to positively prove this ball was used the in the '54 Series, but I'm satisfied to think it was.

Sept.5,1889 Trophy Ball
 

Detroit Police at Cleveland

Favorite baseballs
 

Here's mine:
Nolan Ryan 4th no-hitter signed game ball used in this iconic photo shoot after the game. This game tied Nolan with Sandy Koufax for what was the most all-time no-hitter games at the time (4) en route to Ryan's new standard of 7 career no-no's.

The ball was inscribed and given as a gift to So Cal sports photographer Frank Worth that shot the attached photo that I mentioned earlier. The inscription is what makes the ball "To Frank, Best Wishes- Glad you were here for the 4th (no-hitter). Hope you're here for the 5th".

I remember this in REA! SWEET!

Ken Sulik
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

I just have baseballs that I have been able to have signed in person. So not pre-war.

Favorite HOF - Sandy Koufax

Favoirte team signed: teams College World Series
(CWS is my favoirte sporting event every year)

Favorite non-sport ball: Warren Buffett
(Annual meeting is my favoirte non-sporting event every year)

A couple of my favorites
 

The Greenberg signature is one of my favorites just because it is vintage and on a Harridge baseball. It is signed to a person who sold him clothes. The Pullium (although not signed by anyone) is a favorite just because it is not seen too often.

baseballs
 

my favorites.

couple of more.

my favs from the hall of fame.

and the last few.

Vintage Baseball Collection
 

Vintage, multicolor stitch baseballs w/boxes are a main focus of our collection, and here is a link to our site where all of them are pictured:

http://dugouttreasures.com/product.cfm?sID=7

There are examples of vintage balls in a couple of the other sections on the site such as in the 19th Century and NYY links, but this is majority of them.

Brett 3000th Hit GU Ball
 

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...g?t=1304802392

Not a particularly valuable ball - but I liked the idea of having a ball that was either used or rubbed up for that game.

Randy Johnson 300th Win Game Used ball
 

I had to drive from Philly to DC and back two straight days because of the rainout. Sat through drizzle and cool temps. but grabbed this foul ball as it was rolling down the stands in the 4th inning. Then got resoundly booed by the 5000 fans that showed because they assumed the ball had hit another fan who was going after it also. But it didn't, it hit the seat in front of him. Anyway I got it signed at a show a few months later. I was actually on the cell phone with Scott Garner as I got the ball, he met me there the night before for the game but couldn't make the make-up game. He got us the tickets, thanks Scott!

"Lucky" Randall Hahn
 

Randall,
Your persistence in doing all the driving to attend The Big Unit's 300th win makeup game the next day payed off big for you. I wish I had been able to have seen this game in person. Congrats!! :D

This possibly could be the 1st Baseball Tiger Woods signed. Not sure how many he has signed.
This was signed 12/14/1996 in Las Vegas. Several athletes and stars were at the opening of the "All Star Cafe" on Las Vegas Blvd. Ball and picture of Tiger Woods signing the ball. The All Star Cafe has since closed.

Joe

I picked up this baseball about a year ago..it's the ball that was won in the "name the team" contest for the 1953 Lincoln minor league club. 16 year old Jim Walters won the contest...I've attached the article from the newspaper too. The ball was signed by Bobby Shantz (former Lincoln player) and the GM Bill Hayes.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...seball/004.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ball/003-1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...iefsball53.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...fsball53-1.jpg

Thought I'd chime in on this one, I have a ton of very expensive vintage baseballs, but this one means a lot to me, not just the ball, but the whole piece.

My Mom tells this story of my Dad watching the Angels / Athletics game while my Mom was in labor, Because I took so long to make my way into the world my Dad got a little bored and payed more attention to the Game that was going into extra's. I've been an Angels fan since the day I was born so it means a lot to me to find this.

Its a ticket stub from the game, April 6th, 1982 the day I was born, and the very game my Dad was watching! California Angels @ Athletics! I know its not too old but to find a random ticket like this was amazing to me, and only for $1 on eBay! I would have paid $500 if I needed to. I later added a boxscore and then a 1982 team signed ball to top it off. I think its a one of a kind, and one of my fav's.

A couple of my favorites: a 1939 PCL ball signed by the league champion Sacramento Solons. The signatures are all but faded away.

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/9743/img3023s.jpg

...and a 1951 Harridge ball stamped for the Western International League

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/8971/img2983e.jpg

Cool piece Brandon!
 

Very nice Brandon!! Go Angels!

That's a really frikkin' cool story, Brandon.

Nice story Brandon. I collect tickets and was wondering if anyone has their birthday ticket? Heres mine...

Happy Birthday, Randall!
 

Randall,
I had to laugh when I realized that your birthday was yesterday (May 14th). Happy birthday, buddy! My wife Mary's birthday is today, May 15th.
BTW, since I was born in November and can't collect baseball tickets to games (past the baseball season), I have collected tickets to her birthday, May 15th, 1963.

Thanks Scott, Happy Birthday to your wife!

Very cool Randall, I always wondered if anyone else had their birthday ticket as well. Yours was probably harder to find, and I always wondered who would keep a ticket from and A's/Angels game from the 80's lol. I made that box score myself printing it on newspaper paper from target, and getting the box score info from baseball almanac, then a little Aaron Bros. for the matting. Believe it or not the seller of the 82' team ball originally had it posted for $4k! - I laughed and talked him down to $250, probably still a lot for an 82' Angels but I wasn't going to go out and get them 1 by 1.

Count me in...
 

I'm halfway there...if anyone can help me along, I would appreciate it! I'm missing home games for the Yankees, Senators, Braves and Cardinals.

And here's an odd fact: seven of the eight matchups that day were double-headers, so 15 games were played on my birthday!

http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/a...ickets/006.jpg

New favs
 

Just picked this lot of 25 balls up and need to do the research, but love the game used look and obvious meaning they once had to the original owner

A few are stamped "Eastern League" and many have game results - including dated pitching results like, "no hitter", "one hitter" etc. Most are dated to 1954 and identify town teams that most prob played in minor leagues below the level of the eastern league at that time.


http://i518.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/d1b56e1f.jpg

$250 might be about right, or at least a pretty good price for that ball. There were a few nice names on that roster. Assuming Mike Witt's on it, that signature alone probably carries most of the ball's value. I could be wrong, but I think Witt signed ball's generally sell for over $200.

Here's mine. It's an 1875 silver trophy ball.

Cool stories and (no pun intended) you guys have some nice balls.


http://www.amazon.com/b?%5Fencoding=...&creative=9325

I've shared this one a while ago, but it's worth trucking out again for this thread.

This ball was signed at the 1955 HOF induction. It was obtained by a Red Sox scout, and came to me directly from him about 10-12 years ago now.

That is really great. You've inspired me to look for tickets to my birthday... May 15, 1968. :)

Here is the full ticket to my wife's birthday. Her beloved Tigers got beat by the hometown ChiSox. Not a great way to come into the world if you're a Tigers fan!! :D

Man thats 3 people with a May 15th birthday! Lotta Tauruses!

Here is another, it's not in the best of shape, but how many can there be with these two? Autographed by Walter Johnson and Lefty Grove, the best righthanded and lefthanded pitchers of all time!

Ken Sulik
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

Here's a Clemente sweetspot from his rookie season.

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m...sweetspot2.jpg


http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m...esweetspot.jpg

Misc old Baseballs related
 

Here are some of my balls related misc.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...oxSideAuto.jpg Don Larsen model baseballs dozen ball box label, signed by Don. I also have a sealed single ball in box with nice graphics.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...TrophyBall.jpg
1890 Univ. of Penn vs Lehigh Trophy Ball
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...a/P1040066.jpg
1920s Wilson Silver Plated Trophy topper ball
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...a/P1040068.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...a/P1040073.jpg This is my Favorite!! 1909 patent date official American League Ball Trophy Topper