Interesting pickup

[steve B]

I mentioned this one a while back, probably a couple years or more. I just found it with some other stuff and realized I never took pictures.

It's a bit of a puzzle, and if it wasn't for where it came from I'd have lots of doubts.

Steve Ridzik, probably signed as a Christmas present for someone.

The puzzler part? It's dated 1955-56, but is on an American Association ball, a league he didn't play in till 57. His offseason in 55-6 was almost as bad as his season, when he went 0-4 in 16 games for two teams. The Reds had traded for him, but after the season sold his contract to Seattle. Then the Giants drafted him in the rule 5 draft.

I picked the ball up at a flea market in western CT, and bought it mostly for the ball. It was an oldish minor league ball, and even if it was as the vendor said.. "I think that one is from little league or something, I have some other signed balls over here" (Both of which were pretty awful thick felt tip signatures that were at least of guys I'd heard of. I didn't like either one much at all. ) So I bought the "little league ball" for the 50 cent asking price.