Willard Mullin Big Red Machine

[3and2]

I recently acquired this limited # lithograph out of 250 for my son's bedroom. Size is about 23" x 28". It's been signed by Willard Mullin as well as Cesar Geronimo, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, George Foster, Ken Griffey, Johnny Bench, Dave Concepcion and Sparky Anderson (JSA cert).

I'm going to get it properly framed w/ UVA glass to help preserve it.

Any thoughts on the value?

Thanks!

[perezfan]

Great piece with or without the sigs. Most are not signed by Mullin. These pieces were originally gifts from Reds GM Bob Howsam to select season ticket holders and other various VIPs.

I would say yours is worth $800 - $900 or so. It's about a $250 - $300 piece when unsigned, and a $500 piece when signed only by Mullin. The "Starting 8" + Sparky autographs elevate it to another level. Be sure to post a photo of the final framed result. It's just terrific!

[doug.goodman]

That thing is very cool. As a San Francisco born Dodger fan, boy how I hated that team.

Doug

[Wymers Auction]

As a Reds fan I must say that is awesome!!!!

[perezfan]

This was just another of Mullin's many great creations. He really had a way with depicting the team mascots, and was at the tail-end of a magnificent career when he cranked this one out.

Doug.... I hated the Dodgers equally... with a passion. I was a kid, displaced from Cincy and living in Orange County throughout the '70s. Will never forget listening to Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett on radio every single day of the 1974 season...

The Big Red Machine still hadn't won anything (despite having some very powerful teams) and when the Dodgers bested them in '74, it looked like they would continue to come up empty year after year. The next two years would prove to be a different story. Those Reds-Dodgers rivalries in the '70s were incredible. The two teams truly hated each other, and everyone knew it woud come down to those two in the NL West. Something magical was lost when they re-aligned the Divisions.

[3and2]

My 2 boys were really excited when I brought this home. They think it's funny the big man is whacking the cartoon characters w/ the baseball bat. Their still young and I've only taken them to a minor league ball game (about 4 innings -- hotdog, popcorn, game zone, a lot of running up and down the lawn section).

I grew up in New York a die hard Mets fan and cheer for them everyday w/ the MLB extra inning package, but, now I live in Ohio. I have an appreciation for Reds baseball and their fan base.

Willard Mullin did a lot of work w/ the Mets early yearbook covers and '69 World Series program. He had an incredible way of putting humor into the sport.

I'll let my boys decide which team they'll cheer for when they get older (just not the Yankees...please).

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Doug.... I hated the Dodgers equally... with a passion. I was a kid, displaced from Cincy and living in Orange County throughout the '70s. Will never forget listening to Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett on radio every single day of the 1974 season...

I listened to all those games on station out of Vegas (I think). I couldn't pick up the LA station at my parents house north of SF, and I could only get the Vegas station in the middle of the street, luckily there wasn't much traffic.

When my dad managed to get tickets to game 5 of the World Series that year, even though they lost, I was hooked for life.

Doug

[rc4157]

Those were special days/nights when the Dodgers came to Cincy for games. It was a great time to be a Reds fan and I also miss the rivalry with the Dodgers.

RC

[Wymers Auction]

Originally Posted by rc4157

Those were special days/nights when the Dodgers came to Cincy for games. It was a great time to be a Reds fan and I also miss the rivalry with the Dodgers.

RC

Yes, me too. I miss the Big Red Machine altogether. I remember being a kid at that time and no matter where you went someone was listening or talking about the game. It was magical. There were 2 other periods that were close for me 4192 and the 1990 World Series.