Jim Umbricht Real?

[Case12]

Thank you. I believe so.

Others thoughts? If I can get ideas on it NOT being a stamped ball, then I'll be in the +95% that it's real.

Interesting issues for it....like why would Rusty sign it twice? (Guys just passing the ball around and not noticing?)

[Brick442]

Originally Posted by Case12

Thank you. I believe so.

Others thoughts? If I can get ideas on it NOT being a stamped ball, then I'll be in the +95% that it's real.

Interesting issues for it....like why would Rusty sign it twice? (Guys just passing the ball around and not noticing?)

Does not appear to be stamped.

Not super unusual to see a team ball signed twice by a player. Especially if a player was in a rush or just did not pay close attention. Boxes of baseballs were left in the clubhouse for the players to sign these team balls. If a player felt like it, they would sign the balls in their "spot". That is why on these team balls, you usually see certain players signatures always in the same location over the years. They get accustomed to signing in the same location. For example, Roger Maris almost always signed these team balls in across the narrow small part of a panel. On the other hand, a player like Ray Oyler often signed his team balls at the round larger edge of the ball.

If the balls needed to be completed and there were empty "spots" with missing sigs, the clubhouse guy or someone else would do their best imitation and these would be the "clubhouse" signatures. On many team balls, you would see some star players with the clubhouse versions and also some managers, who were probably too busy doing other tasks. A lot of the 1970s Yankees team balls have clubhouse versions of Lemon and Martin.

As for these team baseballs, the owners liked to have a hundred or so team balls signed every month, and give them away for different reasons.

[Case12]

Thank you. That's what I was thinking. What threw me off is how little (none) overlap of autos here. Guess it's just how it is. I'm happy to have a Jim auto on ball. I have a couple on flats. I think it's good. Your comments are helpful. Thank you.

[Case12]

Given the pros and cons I'm going to display in my collection as real. It also matches other Umbricht auto(s) I have on flats.

[akleinb611]

Just a correction, which supports the likelihood that this is a 1963 ball. Staub was a rookie in 1963, and Umbright died during spring training 1964, NOT 1963. A 1963 date for the ball makes perfect sense.

[Case12]

Originally Posted by akleinb611

Just a correction, which supports the likelihood that this is a 1963 ball. Staub was a rookie in 1963, and Umbright died during spring training 1964, NOT 1963. A 1963 date for the ball makes perfect sense.

Thanks for sorting the details for me.