Relationship between SCD and Coach's Corner

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Posted By: Paul

There's been a lot of discussion in the past about Coach's Corner, and the fact that they seem to routinely sell autographed baseballs of guys like Josh Gibson, Amos Rusie, Jim Thorpe, etc. -- balls that should be worth tens of thousands of dollars if real, but typically sell in the high hundreds. There's also been a lot of discussion in the past about the fact that SCD lends credibility to Coach's Corner by running their multi-page ads twice a month.

I had always assumed that SCD agreed to run Coach's Corner's ads for one simple reason -- SCD needed the money. But I noticed today that the connection between SCD and Coach's Corner appears to run much deeper.

Coach's Corner's autographs are usually authenticated by Stat Authentic. The Amos Rusie in their current auction is authenticated by Stat, as are dozens of others. Who operates Stat? It turns out that one of the two owners / authenticators is Ted Taylor. Ted Taylor writes for SCD. In fact, he writes "news" stories for SCD about Coach's Corner's auctions. The stories he writes are full of fawning praise, using phrases like "fully certified" to describe the autographs in the auction. Coach's Corner uses the same phrase in its ads, so it may be that the "news" stories are actually written by Coach's Corner, with Ted Taylor's name just added by SCD. There's also a link on Stat's website to Coach's Corner's auctions.

So, the bottom line is that we have seemingly fraudulent material, authenticated by an SCD writer, advertised in SCD, and promoted by the authenticator in SCD's "news" stories. Am I the last person to notice this?

There may be a good explanation for all this. I'd sure like to hear it. I had always assumed Ted Taylor was one of the good guys.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Paul- that is what is most troubling about your story. Ted Taylor is from the old hobby school, and it's hard to believe he is getting involved in such unethical behavior.

I have long wondered how Coach's Corner has survived this long. There has to be a legion of buyers ultimately unhappy with their autograph purchases.

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Posted By: Al Simeone

I guess when your paper is hugging the rim of the bowl ethical behavior gets flushed right along with it!!

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Posted By: Mike

Why would anyone be mad at getting a Ruth Auto Ball at a fraction of the cost of other auctions ? Is Coach's Corner a great deal ? Or is it fake stuff with no value ? That's why we send to a 3rd party to tell us if they think it is real. Why is PSA or Spence any better than Stat ? All are just opinions. Are some of these guys just better at promotion and marketing and others are not ? Or are some truly better and if so why ? Because of resale !

I'm very frustrated with the auto market. I win an item with a LOA from one of the above and another states it's not real. What do you do with the item then? Auction it and state someone says it real and someone says it's not. Send to everyone and get a different opinion and spend $100's for that opinion.

I would think that the guys who handle the Babe Ruth museum would be good at least with Babe Ruth material. Let me know your opinion. Thanks Mike

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Posted By: boxingcardman

I used to think it was the bird**** on the SCD; we now know it IS the SCD.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I think the people who run the Babe Ruth museum have no clue that STAT sucks. That's what I think. I doubt they're in the autograph hobby and they have no clue that STAT and Coach's Corner are the least respectable authenticators and "auction house" in the hobby.

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Posted By: Scott Levy

We had bought one 1955 dodgers autographed ball from Coach's Corner. In reviewing it, the authenticators mentioned that the writing on all of the autographs were slow and deliberate ... which as we know is totally not how people sign things.

I can vouch at least for that one item that it was fraudulent. And after some rather persuading arguments we received a refund from CC.

-SGL

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Mike, if an auction house is certain of authenticity but can't get 1/3rd the price of the same Ruth baseballs as at at Mastro or Lelands, wouldn't they simply consign all their Ruth autographs to Mastro or Lelands and reap the huge profits?

If a seller knows she can get five times the $$ profit on a Ty Cobb baseball with a JSA or PSA/DNA LOA versus a LOA from Jersey City Auto Parts, why would she go with Jersey City Auto Parts as her autograph specialist? Is it because she likes to lose money?

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Posted By: Marty

David
In your scenario, it could be that CC finds legit materaial, puts it up for auction, buys it and then resales it. Not everyone knows where to sell autographs. Someone may be thinking that they are receiving market value. I am not saying that this is what is happening, just a possibility.

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Posted By: David Atkatz

And pigs might fly.

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Posted By: DJ

...You also forgot to mention a couple of other things, PaulPaulPaul...Tuff Stuff is also owned by the same company that owns SCD and every month, they dedicate a full page to Coach's Corner and Ted Taylor breaks down the prices realized from their last auction.

Also, SCD did a special weekly article a few years back where they interviewed autograph experts that included Kevin Keating and a brand new company STAT Authentic headed by SCD journalist Ted Taylor, and Christopher Morales, the other CCSA Authentictaor of choice. Hmmmm. Did we mention that Morales and STAT were both mentioned in the HBO Real Sports TV having "failed miserably".

Take a look at their last auction (www.myccsa.com...$3,000 for a signed Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig bat!) and just multiply this by eighteen years of CCSA and SCD being together. Everyone is bed with each other and if you subscribe or advertise is SCD, you support this.

DJ

Cycle, make a good point and stick with it. The post below you, now makes no sense now.

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Posted By: Matt

David people in the desert drink the sand because they can't tell the difference.


I'm sure the lady has no idea that there is such a huge disparity in what different LOAs bring in; she just knows she needs an LOA.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Duly note that the she in my post knew the difference in values.

I don't doubt that there are people who don't know the difference between SCG and AAA grading services. However, a full time Pre-War baseball card dealer who has advertised for years in hobby publications would not be one of them.

Whether or not people without food and water drink sand and eat rocks, everyone I mentioned in this thread has running water and lives next to a 24 hour Hardee's. They even have microwave ovens to heat the curly fries if they get cold.

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Posted By: NickM

That title goes to the one who tried to auction off the "Ohio fake" Wagner - the one with the wrong typeface where the owners came on this board insulting people.

But I still wouldn't deal with them.

Christopher Morales? Oh yeah. That was Donald Frangipani's partner. You have to love anyone whose defense is that his COAs were faked.