What is the toughest baseball HOF autograph to obtain?

[mighty bombjack]

George Davis is a good one.

I will go ahead and throw this list out there. I have been collecting HOF autographs for some time now, but have only seriously searched major auction houses for toughies over the last few years. Here are the autos I've never seen examples of, for sale or otherwise. I would love links to any examples that anyone has.

Jack Chesbro (P) - 1946
John Clarkson (P) - 1963
Andy Cooper (P), Negro Leagues - 2006
George Davis (SS) - 1998
Buck Ewing (C) - 1939
Pud Galvin (P) - 1965
Frank Grant (2B), Negro Leagues - 2006
Pete Hill (LF), Negro Leagues - 2006
Joe McGinnity (P) - 1946
Bid McPhee (2B) - 2000
José Méndez (P), Negro Leagues - 2006
Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn (P) - 1939
Bullet Rogan (P), Negro Leagues - 1998
Amos Rusie (P) - 1977
Louis Santop (C), Negro Leagues - 2006
Frank Selee (Mgr) - 1999
Mule Suttles (1B - LF), Negro Leagues - 2006
Ben Taylor (1B), Negro Leagues - 2006
Sam Thompson (RF) - 1974
Cristóbal Torriente (CF), Negro Leagues - 2006
Rube Waddell (P) - 1946
Sol White (Builder), Negro Leagues - 2006
Smokey Joe Williams (P), Negro Leagues - 1999
Jud Wilson (3B - 1B), Negro Leagues - 2006

[HOFautosChris]

I am very much looking forward to the release of Ron Hof autograph book in October. As a hall of fame autograph collector I relish the opportunity see examples of the rarities. Also as far as modern hall of famers there are no non signers. While some very rarely sign for free but there all readily available on the show circuit.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by mighty bombjack

George Davis is a good one.

I will go ahead and throw this list out there. I have been collecting HOF autographs for some time now, but have only seriously searched major auction houses for toughies over the last few years. Here are the autos I've never seen examples of, for sale or otherwise. I would love links to any examples that anyone has.

Jack Chesbro (P) - 1946
John Clarkson (P) - 1963
Andy Cooper (P), Negro Leagues - 2006
George Davis (SS) - 1998
Buck Ewing (C) - 1939
Pud Galvin (P) - 1965
Frank Grant (2B), Negro Leagues - 2006
Pete Hill (LF), Negro Leagues - 2006
Joe McGinnity (P) - 1946
Bid McPhee (2B) - 2000
José Méndez (P), Negro Leagues - 2006
Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn (P) - 1939
Bullet Rogan (P), Negro Leagues - 1998
Amos Rusie (P) - 1977
Louis Santop (C), Negro Leagues - 2006
Frank Selee (Mgr) - 1999
Mule Suttles (1B - LF), Negro Leagues - 2006
Ben Taylor (1B), Negro Leagues - 2006
Sam Thompson (RF) - 1974
Cristóbal Torriente (CF), Negro Leagues - 2006
Rube Waddell (P) - 1946
Sol White (Builder), Negro Leagues - 2006
Smokey Joe Williams (P), Negro Leagues - 1999
Jud Wilson (3B - 1B), Negro Leagues - 2006

Here are Amos and Rube.

BTW, more than one Amos has surfaced, although they are scarce. Perhaps Jim Stinson can chime in. I recall him selling the one of the most recent examples of "The Hoosier Thunderbolt" that I remember selling.

Here is an example of Rube Waddell from Smithsonian Baseball.

[mighty bombjack]

Thanks Scott. I forgot about that Rusie. It just sold recently, no? Legendary or Heritage, I forget.

That Waddell, on the other hand, I've never seen. Is it property of the Smithsonian then? Any info on its provenance?

[David Atkatz]

Here's my Chesbro, on a 1903 Pittsburgh reunion ball:

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

Here's my Chesbro, on a 1903 Pittsburgh reunion ball:

Awesome ball, David!

[Scott Garner]

Delete

[JimStinson]

I sold the Amos Rusie (kennel club) pictured above.
I sold a Pirates reunion ball too with Chesbro many years ago although there were several signed balls from that event and seems like the Chesbro on the one I sold was lighter. But heck that was probably 25 years ago.

GEORGE STACEY DAVIS is extremely tough Hall of Famer because he is one of those players that "went missing" after his career as a player ended in 1909. His death in 1940 was not discovered until many years after the fact. See below

Davis vanished into obscurity after his retirement. He worked in baseball as a coach, scout, and manager, while also working at a variety of other jobs that included stints as a professional bowler and an automobile salesman.
The circumstances of his death remained a mystery until baseball historian Lee Allen discovered its details through a campaign to track down historical baseball players, run in part in The Sporting News. He died in Philadelphia of paresis due to tertiary syphilis

[JimStinson]

Here is SMOKEY JOE WILLIAMS 1942 WW II draft card, Signed in lower right. He registered for both the WW I and WW II draft. In 1942 he was tending bar in NYC. I don;t know of any authentic Williams signatures ever being offered for sale.
_______________
Vintage autographs for sale daily recieve my weekly e-mail updates by including your e-mail address at my web site
stinsonsports.com

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by mighty bombjack

Thanks Scott. I forgot about that Rusie. It just sold recently, no? Legendary or Heritage, I forget.

That Waddell, on the other hand, I've never seen. Is it property of the Smithsonian then? Any info on its provenance?

Wayne,
The Rube Waddell autograph with inscription is from the verso of a cabinet photo of Waddell that was apparently given to a hunting friend of Rube's. It resides in the collection of David Bowen according to the great book Smithsonian BASEBALL by Stephen Wong.

I hope this helps.