Help solve the great baseball mystery

[cardsfan22]

Originally Posted by mikeakac2

That article makes me think the ball is real. We know they had Giamatti balls before the season started and Rawlings rushed to get NL teams White balls. So imagine they have cases of Giamatti balls in their storage. When the new White balls came in they get stacked on the cases of Giamatti balls. As the season goes on the White balls are depleted and the Giamatti balls are used before a new shipment arrives. That would explain why this ball would be used in July. It sounds reasonable to me. The guy in charge of getting balls out of storage probably doesn't care or even check whos name is on it.

But realize that article is talking about the start of the 1989 season and JC hit his 300th on July 30th, 1990, a year and half later. I totally agree with your assessment for the 1989 season and I do actually think its possible for that same scenario to occur into the 1990 season it just seems a little less likely IMO.

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by cardsfan22

But realize that article is talking about the start of the 1989 season and JC hit his 300th on July 30th, 1990, a year and half later. I totally agree with your assessment for the 1989 season and I do actually think its possible for that same scenario to occur into the 1990 season it just seems a little less likely IMO.

This is the absolute worst part about this business. You have a really cool, one of a kind item, and there's absolutely no way to prove if it's real. I'm going through the same thing right now, and I'll probably never get an answer.

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by Splinte1941

This is the absolute worst part about this business. You have a really cool, one of a kind item, and there's absolutely no way to prove if it's real. I'm going through the same thing right now, and I'll probably never get an answer.

Keep in mind that any information about whether the ball itself is accurate to the correct season can only disprove whether the ball is what it's said to be. Even if you know with 100% certainty that the ball is correct to the time period of the event, you would still be taking Clark at his word that that particular ball was indeed his 300th and not just another ball he grabbed out of the same case. It's just a question of where you take your leap of faith, and how wide the gap is that you have to cross in that leap. Knowing the ball came directly from Clark with a letter stating what it is narrows the gap much more than buying it from some random individual on Craig's List who related the story over the phone, but even so, there is still the question of Clark's reason for selling it and whether his memory and/or integrity are 100% accurate. (I'm not questioning Clark's integrity myself, but others in this thread have, showing that questions will and do arise with this type of item).

At some point, the gap either narrows enough that you feel comfortable moving forward, or it remains wide enough that you bail on the deal for fear of falling in. Different folks have differing levels of comfortability, with some willing to make super-human leaps across wide gaps of information, and others being unwilling to step across the slightest hint of a crack. It's all relative to your own comfort level with the information available.

[cardsfan22]

Originally Posted by thecatspajamas

Keep in mind that any information about whether the ball itself is accurate to the correct season can only disprove whether the ball is what it's said to be. Even if you know with 100% certainty that the ball is correct to the time period of the event, you would still be taking Clark at his word that that particular ball was indeed his 300th and not just another ball he grabbed out of the same case. It's just a question of where you take your leap of faith, and how wide the gap is that you have to cross in that leap. Knowing the ball came directly from Clark with a letter stating what it is narrows the gap much more than buying it from some random individual on Craig's List who related the story over the phone, but even so, there is still the question of Clark's reason for selling it and whether his memory and/or integrity are 100% accurate. (I'm not questioning Clark's integrity myself, but others in this thread have, showing that questions will and do arise with this type of item).

At some point, the gap either narrows enough that you feel comfortable moving forward, or it remains wide enough that you bail on the deal for fear of falling in. Different folks have differing levels of comfortability, with some willing to make super-human leaps across wide gaps of information, and others being unwilling to step across the slightest hint of a crack. It's all relative to your own comfort level with the information available.

I totally agree with everything you said here. What's funny is if the ball had been a William D. White signature ball I never would have questioned its authenticity beyond that point. I did not buy the ball to resell it, Jack was my childhood hero and I thought it was a really cool piece of baseball history. With what he wrote on the ball and his letter stating this was indeed his 300th that would have been enough for me to take that leap of faith. Of course it just had to be a Giamatti ball which has led me down this path. I am a detective by nature so I feel like I have to do as much research as possible even though I know ultimately there will never be a definitive answer. I really enjoy hearing everyone's insight and appreciate the overall discussion in this thread.

[mr2686]

I look at it like this. You're not going to resell the ball, Jack says it's the ball, there's a posibility that the Padres still had some of the old balls in use (they're my team and believe me they're too cheap to throw anything out)...I don['t see a problem. Now, if you see another one up for sale in the future with Jack's COA, then he's got some " 'splaining to do Lucy". I say enjoy it but keep your eyes and ears open.