Posted By:
Josh Evans
I have just learned of the death this afternoon of Barry Halper, 65, a great
friend, a great person, and probably the world's foremost collector -
before it become so popular - of baseball memorabilia. He had a joy for the game
like few others, and for 20 years, joined Bill Madden and myself for an
annual "Hot Stove League" dinner after the World Series to officially wrap up the
season with a night of baseball talk.
Barry was a great benefactor of the burn center at St. Barnabus Hospital in
his 'hometown' of Livingston, NJ, although he and Sharon had moved to New
Vernon NJ a couple of years ago. There was a great birthday party for him there
last December, with Yogi and Scooter and lots of friends, which turned out to
be, unknowingly, a farewell. He became ill from complications of diabetes
not long after and spent most of 2005 in the hospital and at home, with a poor
quality of life.
The auction of The Barry Halper Collection at Sotheby's in 1999 was national
news, and a portion of his great collection landed in the Baseball Hall of
Fame, with a special room bearing his name.
Joe DiMaggio spent many a night watching TV at Barry and Sharon's home, and
scores of players and baseball officials visited his great collection over the
years. Barry never tired of telling stories of how he came to obtain such
interesting material.
I understand from Bobby Murcer that there will be a funeral at a synogogue
in Livingston on Tuesday at 11 am, and while this is too soon to know what the
family wishes, I am sure that he would have wanted contributions to the burn
center at St. Barnabus or to B.A.T. But this is rather a 'bulletin' email,
so don't mark any of these particulars in stone just yet.
Marty Appel Public Relations