So found this one and sent it to Goldin in case any one is interested, bidding currently is waaaaaaay low, in my opinion, thought it would get to 2K easily, we'll see, go get yourself a steal and a historic ball if it stays this crazy low:
https://goldinauctions.com/1920_New_...-LOT66310.aspx
So what appears to be just a ground rule double off the bat of John "Shano" Collins of the White Sox in a Sept 18, 1920 game, so what's so significant about that?.....
Well.....
On September 18, 1920 in a highly anticipated match-up between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park, no one there would know this would be last ever meeting of 2 of baseballs greatest titans.
Also, just 8 Games later Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other
Black Sox, comprising the “
8 Men Out”, would never play another game, as they were suspended from playing baseball for their alleged role in the 1919 World Series.
Babe Ruth, who in his first year with the Yanks with his new MLB record of 49 Home Runs in a season, strolled into Chicago as the packed house hoped to see Ruth hit the prior unimaginable #50. Little did they know they were witnessing something of even greater significance that day.
Ruth & Jackson’s final meeting.
7 of the 8 Black Sox were there that day. Gandil, who they say took the majority of the dirty money, had retired after the 1919 Series so he didn’t play in 1920. With only Lefty Williams on the bench the other 6 all played on this September day with Eddie Cicotte on the mound. Was this ball pitched by Cicotte at some point? Possibly.
The Ball which is marked September 18, although while it may look like 17 to the naked eye, under magnifying glass the tight loop can be seen on the lower half of the 8. The mention of Yankees pitcher Bob McGraw & the John “Shano” Collins Double also confirm it was the 18th as that was the only game in the 3 game series Collins hit a double of McGraw. Of note Shoeless Joe Jackson was intentionally walked prior to Collins double so it’s quite possible this was the very ball pitched to Shoeless. The ball definitely then hit by Collins, most likely a ground rule double, as that would explain the balls notation and make sense that’s how this lucky fan obtained the ball, thus Shoeless Joe was driven in with this very ball.
The White Sox would go on to handily defeat the Yankees 15-9. Ruth would go 1 for 4 with a walk, and the fans did not get to see him hit #50 on that day. But again what they saw was of even greater note, as Ruth and Jackson would never meet again on the same ball field. The 8 men out would only play 8 more games and then they were gone from baseball for good!
So this ball is quite possibly the latest existing ball from Shoeless Joe Jackson’s career!!!