January Autograph Pickups

[mr2686]

Wow, great pick-ups Frank. I guess I just assumed you alread had a Ruth and a Gehrig. So, what's next on the radar?

[tazdmb]

Originally Posted by mr2686

Wow, great pick-ups Frank. I guess I just assumed you alread had a Ruth and a Gehrig. So, what's next on the radar?

I was never in a rush for either 2, as they are commonly available if you had the money. That said, Ruth has really gone up this year....so I bit the bullet. Gehrig was just happy circumstances.

As for next....probably the most common name I need is Christy Mathewson, but I want a check and that is never cheap. If I can add one or two current HOFer in 2021, I will be ecstatic. More likely is working on upgrades and searching for old "potential" HOF.

[uga1980]

I was able to pick up an unique baseball with an Indianapolis history. It is signed by a number of individuals connected to the 1948-49 Indianapolis Indians team as well as a few random signatures.

AL LOPEZ - Indians Manager 1948-51
OWEN DONIE BUSH - Co-owner of the Indians and Detroit Tigers Shortstop
JAMES (JIM) "JUNIOR" WALSH - Played with the Indians 47-49
HARRY GIESEL - MLB umpire 1925-1942 - Called two no hitters.
TONY HINKLE (NCAA HOF 1965) Butler Coach
CLYDE KLUTTZ - MLB debut 1942 (BOSTON), Played in Indianapolis 1949-50
AL FEENEY - Indianapolis Mayor 1948-1950, Pro football player (NFL 1920-21*), died in office 1950. Also played semi pro basketball in Indiana for the Indianapolis En-Roes.
FRANK E. MCKINNEY - Co-owner of the Indians
LUKE WALTON - Longtime play-by-play radio broadcaster for Indianapolis
CULLEY RIKARD
BOB GANSS - Played for the Indians during 48-50. Passed during the 1953 season in Panama.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by uga1980

I was able to pick up an unique baseball with an Indianapolis history. It is signed by a number of individuals connected to the 1948-49 Indianapolis Indians team as well as a few random signatures.

AL LOPEZ - Indians Manager 1948-51
OWEN DONIE BUSH - Co-owner of the Indians and Detroit Tigers Shortstop
JAMES (JIM) "JUNIOR" WALSH - Played with the Indians 47-49
HARRY GIESEL - MLB umpire 1925-1942 - Called two no hitters.
TONY HINKLE (NCAA HOF 1965) Butler Coach
CLYDE KLUTTZ - MLB debut 1942 (BOSTON), Played in Indianapolis 1949-50
AL FEENEY - Indianapolis Mayor 1948-1950, Pro football player (NFL 1920-21*), died in office 1950. Also played semi pro basket basketball in Indiana for the Indianapolis En-Roes.
FRANK E. MCKINNEY - Co-owner of the Indians
LUKE WALTON - Longtime play-by-play radio broadcaster for Indianapolis
CULLEY RIKARD
BOB GANSS - Played for the Indians during 48-50. Passed during the 1953 season in Panama.

Frank McKinney's son, Frank, Jr. won 3 medals in swimming a the Olympics. He won a bronze in 1956 and silver and gold in 1960. He was president and chairman of the board of American Fletcher National Bank in Indianapolis. Senior had a very interesting life. President of the DNC. Along with the Indians, owned the Louisville Colonels. Majority owner and president of Pittsburgh Pirates. Ambassador to Spain.

This is Junior
mckinney1.jpg

[ThomasL]

Won this one over at Hunt, while I am a little bit questioning the authenticity, it did come with a JSA LOA (only Benton's Ive seen were in a shaky hand)

Rube Benton, 1917 WS game 3 winner, and key person in testimony to baseball gambling that led to the unearthing of the 1919 Black Sox scandal

[prewarsports]

I have had a couple of Benton autographs and all were a bit shaky even when he was young and active (1920's). I doubt as a pitcher he had an impairment, I think he might have been functionally illiterate like Joe Jackson. I could be wrong and that is pure speculation.

[scmavl]

I've always wanted a signed '61 Maris, simply for the magic of that year. Most of them I've seen have a faded signature or are signed small/off-center, but this one is simply beautiful. Perfect, bold, centered signature and a new card to the hobby.