not sure if it can be accessed but while working on a computer project this morning I watched a season 3 episode 28 (1960) which revoved around Ward's "My father got it in the locker room" (ahem) signed ball with the likes of Ruth, Alexander, Kyler and others (I assume the prop ended up in Coach's Corner) that Beaver eventually destroyed.
While I own but a small handful of autographs - some were garnered in person while working at the Metropolitan Opera in the 80's (no baseball but Nureyev, Baryshnikov, Pavarotti, Miss Piggy
and a few other "dames") - the few others I purchased (the following ARE deader than great-grandma after all) of people I feel are iconographic in my collecting era such as Buffalo Bill, Sandow, and P.T. Barnum - one day Edison damnit! I've did own and subsequently sell a couple of Mantle baseballs and a Berra (I grew up near Yankee stadium for reference) but there was no story to them so I let them go as I went furthur back in "collecting" time.
Obviously getting into the locker room had it been true would be as rare an event in Beaver's grandfather's time as now. I got to thinking about the probability of getting any baseball signed in person these days by a "star" player and not at a show or a signing. When I was a kid early 60's it was not easy to get ANY player to sign anything for you at the park the day of the game - an impossible task for me as my father and I would there close to the start of the game - he preferred to be at his office - not the time to snag an autograph even if I had brought a ball. I did always bring the well-oiled glove that I kept between my mattress and the springs. I had heard rumors from god knows where that if you caught a ball the usher who wore a dirty cloth glove on his hand to wipe your seat for a quarter would have the guy sign it. Before reaching the age of 8 I believed a LOT of things..... Paranthetically I did get a ball at the stadium once when it fell between the cracks and some fencing and practically landed in my hands after bouncing on the blue/gray pavement while I was going for a hotdog. By that time I was like 15 and was pretty sure getting an usher to sign something was an urban legend. The ball went home with me and likely soon went into a box with it's transitory significance lost to time -probably a victim of "fungo" in Central Park!
Although t wasn't my original intent in posting - I was just going to mention the show until I side-tracked myself - perhaps a couple of people here who collect autographs might share a little about a single autographed item that is significant to them. I feel it should still be in your possession or that of your family if you are deceased :-). I've already run-on a bit too much but mine is a program signed for me by Nureyev & Baryshnikov while standing backstage at a celebration for the Paris Opera Ballet. Nureyev was just putting on his leggings and Baryshnikov had just come to the stage. At the time I don't think they liked each other but there's nothing about it on Extra so I'm unsure. In any event - to my wife and I priceless - on the open market - no idea but sure it's "not so much.....".. As I have no-one to leave it to - sadly it will probably go at auction in a box lot when they put me down and pack up all my crap - the story lost and the value reduced to what it sells for in some back alley.
Anyone else?