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Posted By: T E

that fills out what I know, except the Old Timer's Game itself, which was actually played on the 24th. I saw several references to the 25th on the good old internets, but uncorroborated. Here is the actual program for Old Timer's Game-note the date and note that for remaining games, the following day, the 25th is listed.






Here is the baseball Casey signed for me. It was either '68 or '69, the night before the induction ceremonies, at the party at the big inn up there. Note that Zach Wheat signed at the bottom of the panel, which is cool, considering he was a teamate of Casey's and was there on Old Timer's Day, his last day ever as manager, as it now appears. I don't know who the signature is below Casey's, could be Lloyd Waner.




Of course, there is something weird here-Jim Bunning's signature! What happened was, on induction day at the Hall of Fame, they used to play an inter-league exhibition game. That year, either 68 or 69, it was the Pirates from the NL.

I guess they didn't have a proper locker room at the stadium, because the ballplayers would dress at the hotel. I was walking through the HOF before the game, I turned a corner, and there was Jim Bunning. I just stuck out the ball, reflex action, and he signed.

Around the next corner I found another ballplayer-Carl Taylor. Again, I stuck out the ball and he signed. So on my ball with names like Frankie Frisch, Casey, Luke Appling, etc., is Carl Taylor. I guess I went 1 for 2 on my future Hall of Famers!

So on that panel you have Casey, Zach who played with Casey, and Bunning, who pitched against Casey in Casey's last game.