If You Collect Scorecards or Programs, Show 'em Here!

[jethrod3]

No new scorecard to show at the moment, but definitely something about scorecards to talk about...

I noticed that one company that grades comic books had been grading and slabbing Sports Illustrated mags for some time, much like comic books. But I had never, until very recently, noticed that they are also grading and slabbing scorecards! Perhaps I have been living under a rock for some time! When did any company start doing this?

I have not noticed many examples of graded/slabbed scorecards. Those that I've seen I've just happened to stumble on by chance (one that comes to mind is up for bid in an auction I was browsing through earlier today). But the things that I found most amazing are that 1) there was no description by the TPG as to whether the scorecard was filled out, and 2) the grading system has nothing to do with how a card might be graded. The grading system seems pretty lenient compared to cards, as no torn/tattered card I have ever seen would escape with a grade of 3. But for scorecards, it looks like a whole different ballgame. I also wonder whether the lack of mentioning of scored vs. unscored is a statement to the effect that it doesn't matter, although all scorecard collectors will tell you that they'd prefer a scorecard that is neatly scored vs scoring done with very poor penmanship and that is unintelligible.

So...the million-dollar question would be whether the majority of scorecard collectors will now make a move to grade and slab at least some of their scorecards if the pricing is not too outrageous. Of course, while the right slabbed scorecards may bring top dollar, the trade-off would be that a collector would no longer be able to experience the enjoyment of opening and gazing at the inside of that scorecard again.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by jethrod3

No new scorecard to show at the moment, but definitely something about scorecards to talk about...

I noticed that once company that grades comic books had been grading and slabbing Sports Illustrated mags for some time, much like comic books. But I had never, until very recently, noticed that they are also grading and slabbing scorecards! Perhaps I have been living under a rock for some time! When did any company start doing this?

I have not noticed many examples of graded/slabbed scorecards. Those that I've seen I've just happened to stumble on by chance (one that comes to mind is up for bid in an auction I was browsing through earlier today). But the things that I found most amazing are that 1) there was no description by the TPG as to whether the scorecard was filled out, and 2) the grading system has nothing to do with how a card might be graded. The grading system seems pretty lenient compared to cards, as no torn/tattered card I have ever seen would escape with a grade of 3. But for scorecards, it looks like a whole different ballgame. I also wonder whether the lack of mentioning of scored vs. unscored is a statement to the effect that it doesn't matter, although all scorecard collectors will tell you that they'd prefer a scorecard that is neatly scored vs scoring done with very poor penmanship and that is unintelligible.

So...the million-dollar question would be whether the majority of scorecard collectors will now make a move to grade and slab at least some of their scorecards if the pricing is not too outrageous. Of course, while the right slabbed scorecards may bring top dollar, the trade-off would be that a collector would no longer be able to experience the enjoyment of opening and gazing at the inside of that scorecard again.

I'm with you on that one!
Why would you slab a scorecard that allowed you to view all the pages and content?
That's beyond me...

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

I'm with you on that one!
Why would you slab a scorecard that allowed you to view all the pages and content?
That's beyond me...

It shocks me that people slab comics the way they do, but it is clearly a huge market.

[bigfanNY]

I cannot tell you how many times I have lit up with joy reading something in a scorecard or program. Stories cheers songs, scorecards are priceless moments in time.... but it dose increases the value by multiples. So as long as I dont have to sell them I am gonna keep reading them.

[jethrod3]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

It shocks me that people slab comics the way they do, but it is clearly a huge market.

Same here. I don't have an extensive collection but most of my comics are not slabbed, and I regret buying the 3 #1's that I did happen to buy already slabbed! I'd like to read them!

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

I cannot tell you how many times I have lit up with joy reading something in a scorecard or program. Stories cheers songs, scorecards are priceless moments in time.... but it dose increases the value by multiples. So as long as I dont have to sell them I am gonna keep reading them.

The scorecards that are actually program/scorecards are neat little time capsules that I also enjoy thumbing through. And in some cases, you lose a lot by simply not being able to hold them and feel the paper. As an example, I have several scorecards from the WWII era, and there's just a different feel to them that you can't experience if they are slabbed.

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

I cannot tell you how many times I have lit up with joy reading something in a scorecard or program. Stories cheers songs, scorecards are priceless moments in time.... but it dose increases the value by multiples. So as long as I dont have to sell them I am gonna keep reading them.

One of my favorite parts of the hobby is flipping through old scorecards and the like.

Couple of exceedingly rare ones:

- 1945 GI World Series - Played in Nurmberg with Hitler's bunker in the background. I'm sure only a tiny number made it back to the US.

- Jackie Robinson All-Stars Program - All Robinson All-Stars programs/scorecards are rare. But 98% of them were a standard design for the whole tour. This one is specific to a particular game.

[67Rally]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

One of my favorite parts of the hobby is flipping through old scorecards and the like.

Couple of exceedingly rare ones:

- 1945 GI World Series - Played in Nurmberg with Hitler's bunker in the background. I'm sure only a tiny number made it back to the US.

I have the same GI World.Series scorecard with the September 2 date, indicating it was from the opening game.


I have this one from the preceding series, the 7th Army Championship.

[jethrod3]

Here's a Brooklyn scorecard I just picked up, with Matty pitching for the Giants. According to my research, it's from the game that Mathewson notched his 265th win and 2,000th strikeout.

[5-Tool Player]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

I cannot tell you how many times I have lit up with joy reading something in a scorecard or program. Stories cheers songs, scorecards are priceless moments in time.... but it dose increases the value by multiples. So as long as I dont have to sell them I am gonna keep reading them.

Amen, I LOVE to follow the scored program and watch baseball history reveal itself......GREAT job and keep up the passion !

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

It shocks me that people slab comics the way they do, but it is clearly a huge market.

+1

[jethrod3]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

I'm with you on that one!
Why would you slab a scorecard that allowed you to view all the pages and content? That's beyond me...

Yes, and actually, unless the scorecard is marked on the front or back cover, not being able to view the pages inside can leave everlasting doubt as to whether you actually have the scorecard you believe you have in that slab!

[jethrod3]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

I'm with you on that one!
Why would you slab a scorecard that allowed you to view all the pages and content? That's beyond me...

So I was thinking a bit more about why tickets seem so much more desirable than scorecards and programs...

Tickets take up less space, that much is true. But as others have mentioned when considering whether or not they might get their scorecards or programs slabbed if they had the opportunity to do so, you'd miss out on all the great content. In this case, the content, at least in older programs, includes photos (sometimes early photos) of the players that are playing. Tickets can be ornate and some will have a specific player on them, especially season tickets printed in the last 30 years or so, but half of my tickets have no images. So it's just tough to figure out why there is such a disparity in pricing between programs and scorecards/program. I can't imagine that for any given game, more scorecards/programs were saved than tickets.

[Ulidia]

Originally Posted by jethrod3

Tickets take up less space, that much is true. But as others have mentioned when considering whether or not they might get their scorecards or programs slabbed if they had the opportunity to do so, you'd miss out on all the great content. In this case, the content, at least in older programs, includes photos (sometimes early photos) of the players that are playing. Tickets can be ornate and some will have a specific player on them, especially season tickets printed in the last 30 years or so, but half of my tickets have no images. So it's just tough to figure out why there is such a disparity in pricing between programs and scorecards/program. I can't imagine that for any given game, more scorecards/programs were saved than tickets.

Many of the pre World War Two World Series programs are items of absolute beauty. The Cincinnati 1919 issue above is a case in point but also the Subway Series of Yankees & Giants 1921 to 1923 (and same format for Yankees vs Pirates in 1927).

New York Giants issues of 1910s are particularly attractive and way ahead of their time. Boston Braves, Brooklyn Dodgers also had stunning World Series programs in this era.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by jethrod3

So I was thinking a bit more about why tickets seem so much more desirable than scorecards and programs...

Tickets take up less space, that much is true. But as others have mentioned when considering whether or not they might get their scorecards or programs slabbed if they had the opportunity to do so, you'd miss out on all the great content. In this case, the content, at least in older programs, includes photos (sometimes early photos) of the players that are playing. Tickets can be ornate and some will have a specific player on them, especially season tickets printed in the last 30 years or so, but half of my tickets have no images. So it's just tough to figure out why there is such a disparity in pricing between programs and scorecards/program. I can't imagine that for any given game, more scorecards/programs were saved than tickets.

Just an opinion, but I actually believe that more scorecards//programs were saved.

Have you ever noticed how many earlier vintage scorecards have a vertical crease running down the middle?
Male fans frequently folded the scorecards in order to stick them in their breast pockets. This would allow them to pull them out during the game and also bring them home.

Regular gameday tickets not so much, as they were often tossed as trash based on what I have observed in my lifetime.
Notable exceptions would include playoff games, World Series and All Star Games IMHO.

[bigfanNY]

I definitely agree with Scott about Tickets being easily discarded especially early Baseball and Basketball stubs. Most were very simple versus the scorecards and programs which were larger and attractive. Also being small and not always easily identified many were dropped in Drawers or in scrapbooks only to be discarded after the original attendees passed on. Many of the best stubs I came across were removed from scrapbooks.

Now I know this thread is dominated by Yankee and Dodger fans, but on the off chance someone who collects scorecards is a Giants fan I have these two Minor Leauge scorecards from the 1950 Trenton NJ Giants with Willie Mays playing Center Field for the Giants. One is a home program the other away playing the Lancaster PA Red Roses. Mays signed the away and the home is signed by 4 players 3 I have identified Bob Myers Eric Rodin and Boetto, the Forth looks like Duffy Dyer ( catcher for the Mets ) but no idea why he would be on there? ..

[jethrod3]

Here's a neat program for an event that welcomed Ted Williams back from Korea toward the end of the 1953 season.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

Now I know this thread is dominated by Yankee and Dodger fans...

And because of that, here is a Pirates game at the Polo Grounds where Tom Hafey (cousin of Chick, brother of Bud) made his MLB debut for the Giants, and hit his first of six career homers.


https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/...210NY11939.htm

[doug.goodman]

And here's the Phillies winning the Opening Day game of the 1915 season, in Fenway versus the Braves.