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Old 12-17-2010, 06:46 PM
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Default 83 yr old collector to auction off her autographed baseball collection

Just another one of those stories that warms your heart....


December 17, 2010

http://detnews.com/article/20101217/SPORTS0104/12170356

Collector, 83, to auction her autographed baseballs -- except one -- for charity

ERIC LACY
The Detroit News


Canton Township— For nearly three decades, Jane Bell did whatever she could to execute her baseball recon mission.

She fought crowds, weaved in and out of hotel lobbies and stealthily maneuvered her way into dugouts and stadium press boxes to convince baseball's elite to add their personal touch to her growing stash of artifacts.

Bell, 83, wasn't just any autograph seeker. She often barnstormed the country to get the job done, and got addicted to the chase and sense of accomplishment generated from the 137 baseballs she had signed by players, managers and announcers since the early 1980s.

Now this Canton Township resident, twice a widow, thinks it's time to hand over her hard-earned mementos to someone else — for a good cause.

"People don't understand the hard work that's involved," said Bell, "and the crap you have to deal with."

Bell definitely doesn't lack spunk or passion for a game she fell in love with more than 50 years ago, one that inspired her this winter to share it at an auction Saturday at the Doubletree Hotel Novi to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital.

There, at the auction, 136 of Bell's autographed are expected to be on the market.

She's keeping No. 137, a personalized gift from former Tigers pitcher Jack Morris in 1986.

"That's staying," she said, beaming proudly of the keepsake, enclosed in glass, on display in her basement.

Morris' message: "To Jane Bell, my best to you, to a loyal Tiger fan."

Based on her credentials, Bell definitely earned the reputation. She has been a Tigers season-ticket holder since 1984, attending all 81 home games each year, and expects to be in Lakeland, Fla., a couple of months from now for her 26th consecutive spring training.

In the meantime, Bell will gear up for the auction, with the hope that at least $3,000-$5,000 will be raised for St. Jude through bids on her collection.

Randall Paul, an appraiser and auctioneer, thinks that's a reasonable goal and was drawn to Bell's generosity when the two met to discuss her plan.

Bell's second option was to keep all the autograph balls in a living trust and eventually donate all of them to CATCH, the children's charity founded by late Tigers manager Sparky Anderson.

Now Bell gets the best of both worlds and will get to see how her generosity benefits children before her time has passed.

"I told her, 'This way you can go out with a bang and do a good deed,'" Paul said. "It's really a wonderful thing. To me it's overwhelming."

Bell no longer collects autographed balls with the same fervor as she used to. Her last autographs were of Miguel Cabrera and Pudge Rodriguez about three years ago.

And Bell insists she never paid for an autograph and certainly wasn't looking for dates.

"No, no, no," said Bell, who was nicknamed "Little Cooperstown" by her friends.

"I wasn't a groupie. I was so much older than them!"

This native of Snow Shoe, Pa. (population: 771), spent 23 years at Ford Motor Credit in Dearborn dealing with car leases and credits Detroit's baseball pedigree for turning her into "city girl" with the desire to stay lively in retirement.

Sitting in a rocking chair, calmly watching time go by was never an option — even when Bell was struck with the death of her first husband in 1965, the second in 1983, and her son's passing at age 32 from an aneurism on the day he was scheduled to have surgery.

In baseball or in life, Bell is a firm believer that persistence pays off, especially when it's chased with enthusiasm.

So there's no chance of Bell ending her Tigers attendance streak anytime soon — no matter how loudly or quietly the team roars this season.

"Listen," she said. "If I can sit through when they lost 119 games (2003), I can sit through anything."

Famous names

Here are the 137 autographs on baseballs of players, managers and announcers that Jane Bell of Canton Township has collected:

Roberto Alomar, Sandy Alomar Jr., Sparky Anderson, Louis Aparicio, Steve Avery.

Jeff Bagwell, Harold Baines, Ernie Banks, Buddy Bell, Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, Ray Boone, Bobby Boone, Lou Boudreau, George Brett, Brett Butler.

Miguel Cabrera, Jose Canseco, Rod Carew, Paul Carey, Joe Carter, Gary Carter, Orlando Cepeda, Will Clark, Roger Clemens, Bobby Cox.

Chili Davis, Eric Davis, Andre Dawson, Bucky Dent, Joe DiMaggio, Bobby Doerr.

Dennis Eckersley, Jim Eisenreich, Dwight Evans, Darrell Evans.

Bob Feller, Rick Ferrell, Cecil Fielder, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Curt Flood, Whitey Ford, Travis Fryman.

Joe Garagiola, Cito Gaston, Charlie Gehringer, Bob Gibson, Kirk Gibson, Tom Glavine, Juan Gonzalez, Doc Gooden, Ken Griffey Jr., Ken Griffey Sr., Tony Gwynn.

Ernie Harwell, Rickey Henderson, John Hiller, Jim "Catfish" Hunter.

Reggie Jackson, Ferguson Jenkins, Derek Jeter.

Al Kaline, George Kell, Chuck Knoblauch.

Barry Larkin, Tommy Lasorda, Jim Leyland, Bob Lemon, Mickey Lolich.

Mickey Mantle, Juan Marichal, Dennis Martinez, Don Mattingly, Willie McCovey, Johnny Mize, Paul Molitor, Joe Morgan, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Eddie Murray, Stan Musial.

Hal Newhouser, Phil Niekro, Joe Niekro.

Jim Palmer, Dave Parker, Lance Parrish, Carlos Pena, Troy Percival, Tony Perez, Gaylord Perry, Tony Phillips, Boog Powell, Kirby Puckett.

Tim Raines, Cal Ripken Jr., Phil Rizzuto, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Pudge Rodriguez, Alex Rodriguez, Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan.

Tom Seaver, Enos Slaughter, Ozzie Smith, John Smoltz, Duke Snider, Sammy Sosa, Willie Stargell, Dave Stewart, Darryl Strawberry, Rick Sutcliffe, Don Sutton.

Frank Tanana, Mickey Tettleton, Frank Thomas, Joe Torre, Alan Trammell.

Mo Vaughn, Fay Vincent, Frank Viola.

Lou Whitaker, Hoyt Wilhelm, Bernie Williams, Ted Williams, Matt Williams, Billy Williams, Maury Wills, Dave Winfield, Early Wynn.

Carl Yastrzemski, Robin Yount.

Auction facts

Canton Township resident Jane Bell, 83, will auction off her collection of autographed baseballs and give proceeds to St. Jude Children's Hospital. The auction and a dinner will be 6-10 p.m. Saturday at the Doubletree Hotel in Novi. Dinner tickets are $50; admission to the auction is free.

To reserve seats or for more information call (248) 761-2603.
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Old 12-18-2010, 08:24 AM
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After looking at thousands of counterfeit ebaY auctions, over the past decade or so. I'll never trust a grandparent again.
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