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Posted By: davidcycleback

The checks would go back to the team for their files or disposal. I would imagine the team would only require the checks as tax or other records for a few years, and might dispose of them after that. I'm sure loads of old team payroll checks have been taken to the local junk yard over the decades. 30 years ago, an outdated player signed check may have had little meaning or value to the team. The team wouldn't have wanted employees stealing from active files, but may not have cared a lot if an employee kept stuff about to be thrown out. Some stuff has has come from the estates of executives who kept their business files until they died. Whether or not the executive had legal rights to company records (and he might have had legal right to keep them), the team probably didn't care that his files contained some musty old checks, contracts and player signed lunch vouchers.

In short, some stuff has been stolen, some taken with permission or authority, and a lot where the team didn't care. Did the executive have company authority to keep those old checks and player signed lunch vouchers when he retired? His former employer may not even care, in particular if they know they probably would have thrown them out if he had left them behind.

In short short, if the checks are 50 years old, the team probably has no business use for them and may have years ago instructed an employee to dispose of them.